Matt Baron, 86, of Silver Bay, Minn., formerly of International Falls, Minn., died Sunday, Sept. 6, 2009 at the Silver Bay Veterans Home.

Memorial services will be conducted at 1 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 24, at Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2948, International Falls, with VFW Post Chaplain Wayne Sampson officiating.

Interment will be in the VFW section of Forest Hill Cemetery with full military honors provided by VFW Post 2948, under the direction of Cease Family Funeral Home, Blackduck, Minn.

He was born Sept. 24, 1922, in Rauch, Minn., the son of Kostio and Julia (Rushak) Baron.

He was raised and attended schools in Rauch. He left home at an early age to work and lived with his brother Alex in Detroit.

He entered the United States Army Nov. 27, 1942, and served during World War II. He fought in the Battle of the Bulge in Germany, where he was wounded in action. He was honorably discharged with the rank of Private First Class Jan. 17, 1946. He was awarded the European Theatre ribbon with two bronze stars and the Purple Heart.

He married Esther Lynch in 1947 and operated a gas station in Montana until Esther’s death in 1952. He worked as a logger in Montana, and worked with his brother Frank in International Falls, moving houses for years.

He had a passion for fishing and enjoyed woodworking.

He attended Evangelical Covenant Church, International Falls, and was a member of VFW Post 2948 of the Falls.

He is survived his daughters, Mary Ellen (Mel) Correll of Spokane, Wash., and Billie Jo Blanchard of Gresham, Ore.; his sister, Justine Baron of International Falls, Minn.; two grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Esther; his parents; eight brothers, Mike, Alex, Harry, John, George, Nick, and Frank; an infant brother, Billy; and five sisters, Ann Poster, Mary Johnson, Kate Hanzuk, Sophie McDonough, and Irene Goetz.

Messages of condolence may be sent to ceasefuneralhome.com.