Rafine Ambrose Blawat was born in Greenbush on December 9, 1928 to Floyd and Mary (Marynik) Blawat. He was baptized and confirmed in the Catholic faith at St. Aloysius Catholic Church of Leo, MN. He attended school in the Leo community and Warsaw, ND. He farmed with his father and then with his brothers until he retired in 1997. He entered the service in 1952 and served in active duty in Korea. He did some welding and maintenance and also drove a wrecker to the front line to pick up disabled military vehicles. He was honorably discharged in March 1954 and received a “Certificate of Appreciation” in recognition of outstanding service during the Korean War at the MN Military Exposition in Ft. Snelling in July 2001. He was united in marriage to Lorraine Mlodzik at St. Aloysius Catholic Church in Leo on June 28, 1955 and the two made their home and farmed in the Leo Community. In 1957 they moved to Milwaukee where Rafine worked at American Motors in Kenosha, WI. They returned to the farm in 1960 which was homesteaded by Rafine’s grandfather, Frank Blawat and they received a Roseau Co. Clean Farm Award in 1974 and a Century Farm Award in 2005. He was a present member of Blessed Sacrament Church of Greenbush. He was a lifetime member of the American Legion and a member of the Knights of Columbus.. Rafine enjoyed fishing and hunting. He fished in Alaska from 1983 thru 2001, also in the NW. Territories and Waterbury Lake, Saskatchewan, both summer and winter. He spent his retirement years at their cottage at Springsteel Island at the Lake of the Woods and winter months at Marco Island, FL until 2016. Rafine passed away peacefully at his home on Tuesday, February 9, 2021 at the age of 92 years and 2 months.
He is survived by his wife: Lorraine Blawat; sister-in-laws Alice A. Blawat, Alice M. Blawat all of Greenbush, brother-in-laws Philip Pelowski of Greenbush, Leonard Mlodzik (Rosie) of Chisholm, MN., Leroy Pulczinski of Greenbush and Leroy Heltne (Bonnie) of Winona, MN. Nieces and nephews: Bill Blawat, Brian Blawat (Nancy), Brad (Cathi) Blawat all of Greenbush, MN, Becky Johnston (Jeff) of Roseau, MN, Barb Blawat (Billy) of Badger, MN, Sharon Frank (Erich) of Phoenix, AZ, Vicki (Daniele) Ragogna of Thousand Oaks, CA., Dale (Jennifer) Pulczinski of Clayton NC., Scott (Ann) Pulczinski of Gilbert, AZ., Steve (Cathy) Mlodzik of Colorado Springs, CO., Kevin (Amy) Mlodzik of Becker, MN., Chris (Errol) Baade, Char Wong of Superior, WI., Lynn (Craig) Erickson of Marine on St. Croix, MN., Rodney Anderson (Michelle) of Scandia, MN., Janice Stein of Dexter, IA., Dennis Pelowski, Robert (Lynnette) Blawat both of Greenbush, Cynthia (Dan) Margo of Cohasset, MN. and many grand nieces and nephews and other relatives.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Floyd and Mary Blawat, sister Loretta Pelowski, brother Rudy Blawat, brother Floyd Blawat, sister and brother-in-law, Delores and Merle Anderson, sister-in-law Ann Heltne and sister-in-law Bernadine Pulczinski..
A Funeral Mass will be held at 10:00AM, Tuesday, February 16, 2021 at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Greenbush with Fa. George Noel presiding following MN state Covid-19 guidelines. Military Honors will be accorded by the Greenbush American Legion Post #88.
Interment services will be held at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Cemetery at a later date.
Last modified: 02/11/2021
