Margaret Louise Hodnik

Mass of Christian Burial for Margaret Louise Hodnik, 65, of Aurora, formerly of Duluth, will be 10:00am Monday, January 17, 2022 at Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Aurora with Fr. Kristoffer McKusky as celebrant.  Visitation will be Sunday from 1:00-4:00pm at Ziemer-Moeglein-Shatava Funeral Home in Aurora and will continue for one hour prior to the mass at the church on Monday.  Inurnment will take place at a later date in the Forest Hill Cemetery Columbarium in Aurora, Minnesota.

Margaret died Monday, January 10, 2022 at Solvay Hospice House in Duluth, Minnesota.

She was born August 24, 1956 in Virginia, Minnesota to Ralph and Anna (Kermouner) Hodnik.  Margaret was a 1974 graduate of Aurora-Hoyt Lakes High School and later earned her Bachelor’s Degree in English from Macalester College in St. Paul.

While living in St. Paul, Margaret began her professional career working for Brown and Bigelow before taking on a various managerial roles with Minnesota Mutual.  In 1989, Margaret moved north to Duluth where she began working for Minnesota Power and ALLETE and was promoted to various roles of increasing responsibility ultimately retiring as Vice President of Regulatory and Legislative Affairs. She was particularly proud of the cleaner energy policy she helped shape and advance with others in Minnesota.

Despite her many travels, Margaret never forgot her Iron Range natural resources based roots serving on the Iron Mining Association Board, Governor’s Pawlenty’s blue ribbon commission on mining, as well as, working with the Minnesota Forest Industry Association.  Deeply spiritual, Margaret engaged with her St. Lawrence Catholic Church community while providing expertise to the Damiano Center Board in Duluth.   

Margaret is survived by her sister, Carol Ferris of Hoyt Lakes; brother, Al (Erika) Hodnik of Aurora; three nieces: Allyson (Tony) Ponto of Hoyt Lakes, Alyssa Hodnik of Minneapolis and Carolyn Hodnik of Nashville, TN; three nephews: Andrew (Christen) Hodnik of McKinney, TX, Frank Hodnik of Homer, AK, and Adam Ferris of Aurora; several cousins, great nieces and great nephews.

Margaret is preceded in death by her parents, Ralph and Anna and her brother, Jack Hodnik (2013).

In lieu of flowers the family prefers memorials in Margaret’s name be given to Solvay Hospice House-Duluth, Holy Rosary Parish-Aurora or the Mesabi East Foundation Scholarship Fund.