Dorinne O. (Clark) Peratalo

Dorinne Peratalo, 77, Grand Rapids, Minnesota, passed away January 24, 2025 at the Fairview Range Medical Center in Hibbing, Minnesota after a short illness.

Dorinne was born March 15, 1947, in Bemidji to the late George F. Clark and Helen (Narum) Clark. After the family moved to the Iron Range area, Dorinne attended Nashwauk schools and then graduated from Greenway High School in Coleraine in 1965.

Dorinne graduated from Eastern Mennonite University in 1970 before returning to Minnesota, where she began her life-long career in Laboratory Technology. Starting at the Little Fork Hospital as lab supervisor, she later transferred to the Grand Itasca Clinic and Hospital in 1978, where she worked for many years before retiring. At 62 she returned to college for a two-year degree in Pharmacy Technology. She worked at the Deer River Health Care Center Pharmacy until she was 70.

In 1995 she married her long-time companion, Leonard Peratalo, and they lived in the Buck Lake area until his death in 2000. Their home was surrounded by many wild animals in a lovely setting of lakes and forests. Sometimes the animals would eat from Dorinne’s hand because she was so quiet and could remain motionless for a long time. Dorinne was an avid reader, worldwide traveler, and loved attending concerts and family activities. She and Leonard loved nature and traveling to stock car races around the United States. Dorinne was a quiet, curious, and sweet-natured person. She had both a lovely smile and a backbone of steel, a twinkle-eyed joy and a stubborn streak. Dorinne was a beloved Aunt of many nieces, nephews, and great nieces and nephews.

Dorinne was preceded in death by her husband; parents; two sisters, Elizabeth (Dave) Suomi and Carole (Jim) McBride; and brother-in-law, Jerry Colemer.

She is survived by sisters, Georgina (Alan) Riendeau and Laurel (Chris) Luukkonen; and sister-in-law, Nancy Colemer.

A celebration of Dorinne’s life will be held this summer when family and friends can gather for interment and sharing of memories in a beautiful outdoor setting Dorinne loved.

Arrangements are with Range Funral Home in Hibbing.