713th Railway Operating Battalion - Edward J. Pufall

His obit April 2010 Duluth MN
Edward J. "Ed" Pufall Sr., 93, of West Sixth St., passed away Sunday, April 11, 2010, in Bayshore Health Center with his family at his side. He was born on March 10, 1917, to Joseph and Mary (Stefinski) Pufall in Ashland. Ed was a graduate of DePadua High School in Ashland. He worked for a local meat market and then hired on with the railroad. He met his future wife in Ashland while she was employed as a registered nurse in Bayfield. He married Ardith L. Katon on Sept 30, 1942, in Clovis, N.M., where he had completed basic training. He was an Army veteran of World War II, serving as a sergeant with Company C, 713th Engineers in Africa, Central Europe, Italy, France and Germany. When he returned from the service in June 1945, he and Ardith moved to Duluth. He worked for the Northern Pacific Railroad, the Great Northern and finally the Burlington Northern Railroad, retiring as a yardmaster in 1978. He was a member of St. James Catholic Church, VFW Post 137, American Legion Post 71, the Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen, the United Transportation Union and the Yardmasters Union. He and Ardith enjoyed fishing, gardening, Twins baseball and traveling around the country visiting their children.