Enjoy snapshots of local history written in past issues of the Reflector from 30, 20 and 10 years ago, respectively. A look back at May, 30 years ago During a meeting on May 16, 1994, three …
Julie Kaipainen, age 96, died unexpectedly at Fairview ICU on Friday, August 18, 2023. She was born on November 23, 1926 at her parents farm near Barnum, MN. She graduated from Barnum High School at age seventeen and moved to the big city (Duluth) where she completed Cosmetology School. Julie and Elmer married on October 17, 1945 and they shared 52 years together until his death in April 1997. In 1961 they left the city for a more rural life on the outskirts of Proctor, MN, until 1983 when they moved to Hibbing, MN, to be closer to family and then moved to Balsam in 1990 and back to Hibbing in 1994. They were active with the Balsam Senior Center and then the Memorial Building Senior Center in Hibbing. She was active with the Memorial Building seniors for over 25 years. They traveled to Washington State every other year to visit family and Julie continued these trips after her husbands death. Julie loved gardening, traveling, pets, dancing and being with friends and family. She had resi