Gaynard Slettvedt
Gaynard Slettvedt, 74, went to his eternal home on Saturday, May 12, 2018 in Mesa AZ. He was born in Thief River Falls MN on December 16, 1943 to Theodore and Caspara Slettvedt. He was a lifetime resident of Minnesota, but upon retirement in 2006 he happily began wintering in sunny Arizona.
After graduation from Martin Hughes Buhl High School, GR packed his bag and took the bus to begin his Tool & Dye degree at Dunwoody College of Technology in Minneapolis. He married his high school sweetheart in 1964, Sharon Rose Palma. Upon graduation, he began his career as a machinist but landed a position at the Hibbing Taconite Company, where he retired as a Maintenance Foreman with over 30 years of dedication.
GR was a volunteer firefighter with over 20 years of service in Buhl, while also enjoying spearing, fishing, hunting, curling, snowmobiling, and working with his hands. As a jack-of-all-trades and an excellent thinker, he built and restored most everything he owned. However, his proudest accomplishments were his 3 children, 7 grandchildren, 4 great-grandchildren, and devoted wife of 54 years.
GR was loved by his wife, Sharon, daughter Sally (Stuart) Jonas, son Kurt (Candace), daughter Sara (Jeff) Bulau, grandsons Nicolas (Angela) Jonas, Travis, William, Benjamin, and granddaughters Lindsey (Tony) Magana, Taylor, Hanna, 4 great-grandchildren, 2 sisters-in-law, several nieces and nephews, cousins and friends.
Please join his family at 11 AM for a Celebration of Life service on July 26, 2018 at the Chisholm Baptist Church, 5001 County Highway 5, Chisholm MN 55719. In lieu of flowers please send donations to the Chisholm Baptist Church or Hospice of the Valley in Mesa AZ.