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Daniel Tod Autio, 41, of Powell, Wyoming passed away on Thursday, Sept. 17, 2020, ending his private battle with depression and PTSD.
Danny was born on Nov. 23, 1978, Thanksgiving morning, in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, to Tod and Ruth Autio. He lived in Ely, Minnesota, and Gillette, Wyoming, before moving back to Floodwood in the third grade. He graduated from Floodwood High School in 1997.
After graduation, he attended Wadena Technical College, where he became an electrical lineman. Danny also attended college and played basketball at UWS. He was a member of the Air National Guard 148th Fighter Wing and was deployed to Iraq.
Danny had a big heart and an unforgettable smile. He was smart, funny, stubborn, mischievous, kind and always rooting for the underdog. There was no telling him he couldn’t do something when he set his mind to it. Danny was an exceptional athlete and was an entrepreneur. He successfully established adult foster care homes and was always dreaming of his next adventure.
Above all, the pride and joy in his life were his boys, Damien and Avery.
Danny was preceded in death by his grandparents, Robert and Tillie Scharnberg.
He is survived and will be greatly missed by his sons, Damien and Avery Autio of Cloquet, Minnesota; parents, Tod and Ruth Autio; sisters, Cheryl (Quinn) Arro and Alissa (Andrew) Karpik; nieces and nephews, Aussie, Cam, Maizie, and Cash; grandparents, Roy and Grace Autio, all of Floodwood; significant other, Julie Forconi and her daughter, Morgan, of Powell. He is also survived by many aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends.
Visitation will be from 2 p.m. until the 3 p.m. memorial service on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2020, in New Life Community Church of Floodwood, Minnesota. A card or letter of condolence may be sent to the family c/o Atkins-Northland Funeral Home, 801 14th Street, Cloquet, MN 55720. To leave an online tribute, see www.atkinsnorthlandfuneralhome.com.
