Patrick "Pottsie" Butala

A gathering of family and friends of Patrick J. “Pottsie” Butala, 86, of McKinley, will be from 5:00pm-7:00pm Thursday, March 12, 2015 at Ziemer-Moeglein-Shatava Funeral Home in Gilbert. Inurnment will be at a later date in the Lakeside Cemetery in Biwabik, MN. He died Saturday, March 7, 2015 at Northland Village in Hoyt Lakes, MN. Patrick was born March 17, 1928 in McKinley, MN to Jacob and Mary (Smuck) Butala. Following his schooling, He worked in various mines on the Iron Range. Pottsie retired from Eveleth Taconite as an automotive mechanic. In 1950 he married Dolores Mae Fabish and to that marriage, Patrick Jr. and Cheryl Butala were born. Later in 1973 he married Patricia “Patsy” Wudenich Geary. They co-owned and operated the Wandering Pine in McKinley for eight years. Pottsie was an avid gardener who enjoyed the outdoors, especially hunting and fishing with his family. Survivors include his son: Patrick Jr. (Okhui Kim) Butala of Biwabik; daughter: Cheryl Butala of Virginia, step-children: Adelaide (Richard) Rojeski of Chisholm and Suzanne Hill of Eveleth and Paul (Angela) Geary of Kelly Lake; numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren; sister: Teresa Denton of Milwaukee, WI and numerous nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents; wife, Patricia “Patsy”; eight brothers; one sister.