Remembering notable Minnesotans who died in 2025
Jellybean Johnson, Jim Marshall, Marjorie Johnson and other local legends
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From a Vikings legend to a National Geographic photographer and an inspiration for “A League of Their Own,” several notable Minnesotans died in 2025.
January
Beej Chaney
Founding member of “The Suburbs,” Blaine John “Beej Chaney,” died at the age of 67. The band’s third album “Love Is The Law” launched them from indie to signing with a mainstream, major record company.
Willard Ikola
Hockey legend Willard Ikola died at the age of 92. He won three state high school titles with Eveleth as a player, then helped Edina secure eight more as a coach.
February
Michael Brindisi
Chanhassen Dinner Theatres’ longtime Artistic Director Michael Brindisi died at the age of 67. The Minnesota theatre aficionado directed 130 productions at Chanhassen during his tenure.
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April
Jim Brandenburg
Celebrated wildlife photographer Jim Brandenburg was 79 when he died. The Luverne native was awarded the National Geographic Lifetime Achievement Award in 2023.
June
Melissa Hortman
Minnesota House Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman died at age 55 in a politically motivated assassination at her home. The Brooklyn Park Democrat served in the Legislature for two decades, including three terms as speaker. Hortman’s husband, Mark, and dog, Gilbert, were also killed by a gunman who broke into their home.
Jim Marshall
Member of the feared and famed Purple People Eaters — the Minnesota Vikings’ defensive front line in the ‘60s and ‘70s — Jim Marshall died at the age of 87. He came to the Vikings in 1961 and played in 270 consecutive games, an NFL record, before retiring in 1979.
Bill Salisbury
Bill Salisbury, whose career as a Capitol reporter spanned decades and earned him the respect of politicians, including former Gov. Tim Pawlenty and Sen. Amy Klobuchar, died a few days after his 80th birthday. The St. Paul Pioneer Press veteran covered eight governors in his tenure.
July
Bruce Anderson
Buffalo Republican Sen. Bruce Anderson passed away unexpectedly at the age of 75 after nearly 30 years as a lawmaker. As a veteran himself of the U.S. Navy, Minnesota Air National Guard and U.S. Air Force Reserves, Anderson emphasized veterans’ issues, as well as public safety, agriculture and broadband access while in the Minnesota Legislature.
Marlyn Buss
Minnesota Farmfest founding father Marlyn Buss of Mankato died at the age of 88 on what would’ve been his 55th wedding anniversary. The farmer and U.S. Army veteran was among the first exhibitors of Farmfest in 1972 and later purchased the event’s rights and hosted the expo on his farmland in Lake Crystal.
Nancy Cassutt Ison
After more than 40 years in journalism, Nancy Cassutt Ison died at the age of 64. Her colleagues from WCCO-TV and MPR News remember Ison as a compassionate leader during a tumultuous and uncertain time in the industry.
August
Fletcher Merkel & Harper Moyski
Fletcher Merkel, 8, and Harper Moyski, 10, died in a mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic School and Church in Minneapolis. Merkel loved cooking, fishing and sports, and was described by the pastor at Mount Olivet Lutheran Church as “all gas pedal, no brakes.” Moyski aspired to be a veterinarian; she loved the outdoors and dreamed of visiting all the National Parks in the United States before her college graduation.
Erich Sailer
Hall of Fame ski coach Erich Sailer, who helped shape the careers of champions, including Lindsey Vonn, died at the age of 99 in Edina. Originally from Austria, Sailer made the slopes of Buck Hill in Burnsville his home for decades, coaching more than a dozen skiers to the Olympics.
September
Simone Senogles
Red Lake Nation citizen Simone Senogles, a community leader, died at the age of 54. Senogles was a founding member of the Bemidji-based group MMIW 218, which addresses concerns around Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.
Stan Turner
Longtime broadcaster Stan Turner, a former KSTP-TV anchor and Museum of Broadcasting Hall of Famer, died at age 81. A University of Minnesota journalism alumnus, Turner also taught at the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire and the University of St. Thomas.
Jean Havlish
Professional baseball player Jean Havlish died at the age of 89. She was a shortstop in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, made famous in the 1992 film “A League of Their Own.” Later in life, the Cold Spring resident became a champion bowler and is a member of the Minnesota Sports Hall of Fame.
October
Marjorie Johnson
Esteemed “Blue Ribbon Baker” Marjorie Johnson of Robbinsdale died at the age of 106. Johnson collected dozens of awards at the Minnesota State Fair and county fairs for her baked goods and confections and appeared regularly on local and national television, usually in her signature red dress and kitten heels.
November
Jellybean Johnson
Drummer, guitarist, producer and one of the original creators of the Minneapolis sound, Jellybean Johnson died a few days after his 69th birthday. From north Minneapolis, Johnson was a drummer in R&B band “The Time” and performed up until his death. Friends said music was his lifeblood.
December
Twin Cities TV pitchman and salesman Richard “Dick” Enrico died at the age of 85. The Chisholm native operated several businesses, including an Italian restaurant, Condominium Concepts and later 2nd Wind Exercise Equipment, where he coined the iconic phrase: "Why buy new when slightly used will do?”
