Dennis Erling Westerlind

About Dennis

Dennis Erling Westerlind, 59, passed away at his home in Grand Portage on February 21, 2020.

Dennis was born in Ely, Minnesota on December 6, 1960. He was the third child of Palmer and Nelda Westerlind.

In 1964, when Dennis was three he moved with his family from Forest Center, Minnesota (a logging camp) to Grand Marais.

He graduated from Cook County High School in 1980. He attended Staples Technical Institute in Staples, Minnesota, for heavy equipment and graduated in 1986.

He worked for the Youth Conservation Corp during the construction of the Superior Hiking Trail and worked numerous jobs before going to work as a houseman at Grand Portage Lodge in April 1992. He continued to work in Grand Portage at various different jobs including sawmill laborer, hard/soft count in the casino, community center custodian, casino housekeeper, dishwasher and bus driver.

At the time of his death, he was the head start bus driver and worked for ENP (Elder Nutrition Program) maintenance doing whatever needed to be done to help the elders.

He really enjoyed driving the head start bus and talked often about driving the elders to different activities in Canada, Duluth and throughout the county.

Dennis shared his mother’s love of genealogy. He liked learning all about his Linnell family history and discovering different family connections in Cook County.

Dennis was a man of few words, but he loved his family and the farm. He especially loved being an uncle and was delighted that his niece Rebecca was born on his birthday.

He found his "home" working and living in Grand Portage and he liked introducing his family to his co-workers and supervisors. The family is grateful that everybody in Grand Portage looked out for him and made him feel like family.

He was preceded in death by his parents Palmer and Nelda Westerlind.

He is survived by his sister Susan Westerlind; brothers Martin “Wes” and Eugene “Geno” Westerlind; nephew Roger (Andrea) Westerlind, niece Rebecca (Henry) Westerlind, and great-nieces, RosaBella Arrellin and Neveah Westerlind.

He left us way too soon and he will be missed by his family, co-workers, and friends.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, March 7, 2020, at 2:00 p.m. at the Mt Rose Baptist Church on Stevens Road in Grand Portage. A reception will follow the service and everyone is invited to share food, refreshments, and stories with his family.

memorial service

Funeral Service with luncheon to follow

March 7, 2020

A reception will follow the service and everyone is invited to share food, refreshments, and stories with his family.