Rodney A. Salo

Memorial service for Rodney Arvid Salo, 80, of Aurora, will be 11:00am Wednesday, November 3, 2021 at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Aurora with Pastor Greg Anderson officiating.  Friends may gather one hour prior to the service at the church.  Burial will be at a later date in the Nashwauk Cemetery.Arrangements by Ziemer-Moeglein-Shatava Funeral Home in Aurora.  In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to an organization of the donor’s choice.

Rod died Monday, October 25, 2021 at Essentia Health – St. Mary’s Medical Center in Duluth, Minnesota.

He was born April 10, 1941 in Hibbing, Minnesota to Arvid and Gertrude (Nylund) Salo. He was a graduate of Greenway High School, attended Itasca Junior College and graduated from the University of Minnesota – Duluth with a degree in Business.  He played football at Greenway and Itasca and hockey and baseball in his youth.

On March 2, 1963 he married Janet R. Lake.  Rod began working at Kreske Department Stores as a management trainee, later for American National Bank of Nashwauk, Northern State Bank of Virginia and the State Bank of Aurora.  Along with his wife, Rod co-owned and operated Aurora Decorating and Framing.

His memberships include the Aurora Lions Club, the Nashwauk Masons, Hibbing Scottish Rite, Versaba Shrine, Minnesota Bankers Association and the Loyal Order of the Moose.  He was active and served on the boards for the East Range Ducks Unlimited, Aurora Chamber of Commerce, Virginia Jaycees, East Range Joint Powers Board and the Aurora Housing and Redevelopment Authority.  He was proud to receive the Aurora Housing and Alan R Hodnik Community Contribution of Excellence Award.

Rod was highly active in local economic development, was an avid hunter and fisherman and valued time spent at the Lake home with family gatherings.  He enjoyed shooting trap and sporting clay leagues, golf and bowling. He was a passionate follower of local pro(Twins) and college sports (UMD).

Survivors include his wife, Janet; son, Timothy; cousins: Cheryl and Amy Salo, Stanley Nylund, Barbara Mell, Jack and Ted Pearson; In-laws: Arvie (Karen) Lake, John Lake, Bill (Audrey) Lake and Charlie (Becky) Lake and his Springer canine companions, Sunshine and Kaija.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Arvid and Gertrude; son, James Matthew Salo (1987); aunt, Mayme (Walter) Niemi; uncle, John (Eleanor) Salo; father and mother-in-law, Arvie and Edythe Lake; cousin Joyce (Frank) Huffman.