Former Rhinelander Mayor Mary Kinnunen, died late Wednesday after a long illness. She was 58 years old. Dawn Rog recently was re-elected to the Rhinelander city council, but she and Kinnunen came onto the city council together before Kinnunen was elected mayor in 2000...
"She was so smart and so witty and her interest was the best interest of the city of Rhinelander. We were sworn in together in 1998, we didn’t know each other. She was an inspiration to work with and I’m glad she became my friend...”
Rhinelander Mayor Dick Johns served on the city council with Kinnunen before he eventually became mayor...
"...she did her job and she did it well. Like every mayor you do the best you can while you're in office because you take pride in your city and Mary was one of those. After she left office she got involved with some civic organizations and we worked together with that. I speak highly of Mary...."
A celebration of Mary's life will take place at a date/time to be announced at ArtStart, 68 S. Stevens Street, Rhinelander. Donations in Mary's memory may be made to ArtStart, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwestern Wisconsin or the Rhinelander District Library Foundation.
A complete obituary will be posted at the Carlson Funeral Home website.
