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Harold Edmund Karnowski, age 83, died at home in Chisago City of natural causes on Labor Day, Monday, September 1, 2003. Harold, the eldest of four children, was born to Edmund and Albina Karnowski on September 26, 1919 in Duluth and spent most of his youth in Hinckley. Harold married Martha Shima in Beroun, Minnesota on July 15, 1942. He served as a Marine Master Sergeant in WWII spending time in Guadalcanal and Okinawa.

In the 1940s Harold cut timber around Beroun, and owned both the Beroun and Finlayson lumber yards before joining the Inter-State Lumber Company and accepting the Assistant Manager position with that chains’ White Bear Lake store in 1950. In September of 1957, Harold replaced Axel Carlson as manager of Lindstrom’s Inter-State Lumber and commuted from Beroun, while the family’s new home was being built in Chisago City.

During the summer of 1958, Harold and Martha brought their five children to that new home at the corner of Stinson Avenue and Aldrich Avenue in Chisago City. They were members of St. Bridget's Catholic Church.

Harold managed Lindstrom’s Inter-State Lumber for over 30 years and officially retired in 1989. Although not an architect, Harold enjoyed drawing house plans for his customers and continued to draw house plans for Inter-State until 1995.

Harold and Martha purchased Swenson’s Depot, a men’s clothing store in 1969 and changed the name to “Harold’s Depot.” They operated the store until 1981. It is now the Country Peddler.

Harold was very active in the community and was one of several key promoters of consolidating the Lindstrom and Chisago City School Districts in 1969. He served on the Chisago City School Board and was the board chairman for many years.

Harold also served on the Hazelden Board of Directors for several years, and was president of the Chisago Lakes Lions. He also was one of the many volunteers who helped put on the old Lindstrom Water Carnival, renamed “Karl Oskar Days” in 1963. He was honored for his dedication to the City of Lindstrom by being named Grand Marshal of the 2000 Karl Oskar Days Parade. Harold was also a lifetime member of the Lindstrom VFW Post and belonged to the Knights of Columbus.

Harold was also honored in 1959 when, Gov. Orville Freeman visited Lindstrom. Harold was asked to escort the governor down the main street of Lindstrom, introducing him to the business owners. Freeman was subsequently appointed Secretary of Agriculture under President John F. Kennedy.

Harold’s two daughters, Julianna and Mary Jo were both killed in a car accident on Father’s Day in 1968. Harold’s wife of 43 years, Martha, died of cancer February 2, 1986.

On June 25, 1968 Harold married Mary Trudeau. Their 15-year union was highlighted by their involvement in the group that started the Chisago City Homestead Co-op Apartments in 1995. He also enjoyed warm weather in the winter as Mary and he “wintered” in Tucson, Arizona during the 90s.

Harold enjoyed his annual fishing trip to Lake of the Woods, ice fishing on Chisago Lake, snowmobiling, travelling, visiting with friends and providing for his family.

Harold is survived by his wife Mary, his three sons: Tom and wife Sandi and two grandchildren Chad and Mia who live in Crystal, Minnesota; Mark and wife Kathleen who live in Lindstrom; Scott who resides in Maplewood; stepdaughter Carol Jean White of Burnsville, Jacqueline Marie Knight and husband Mark plus their stepgrandchildren Jim and Gene. Also surviving is brother, Chester of Bloomington, Minnesota and two sisters, Eleanor Quagliata of Van Nuys, California and Carol Jean Eknes and husband David of Tucson, Arizona.

Visitation will be Friday, Sept. 5, from 4 to 7 p.m. at Grandstrand Funeral Home in Lindstrom. A Mass of Christian Burial will begin at 11 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 6 at St. Bridget's Catholic Church, Lindstrom, with reviewal from 10 a.m. Interment will be at Calvary Cemetery in Beroun, Minnesota, the following week.

Memorials are preferred to the Chisago County Hospice Program.

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