Kevin Wayne Cheuvront

Kevin Cheuvront, age 71, died at home on Saturday, June 20 of a stroke after a short illness.  He was born in Enid, OK and grew up mostly in Los Angeles, CA.  He entered the Air Force at age 17, obtaining his high school diploma while serving.  During the Vietnam War, he served in the 919th Special Operations Group.  He was dropped by helicopter at night behind enemy lines to take pictures of enemy activities, having a total of 379 jumps from the helicopter.  He remained in the Air Force for 13 years, with his last official duty being one of the first teams on the ground after the Jonestown, Guyana tragedy.  After discharge, he lived in Florida and worked as a jailer, a court officer, and motorcycle deputy sheriff for the Dade County Sheriff’s Office.  He went on to live in Arizona, Texas, Kansas and North Dakota, working various jobs, until moving to Duluth with his partner Bonnie for her job at the UMD Medical School.  He worked at the Federal Prison Camp as a Cook Supervisor until his retirement in 2009.  He and Lisa got married at the National Vietnam Vets MC party on July 28, 2007.   In 2011, they moved to Madeline Island, where he made many friends and memories.  In 2023, they moved to Backus, MN.

Kevin was very knowledgeable about guns, having trained as a gunsmith, and shared his expertise with others.  He could search for and find almost any gun or gun part that someone needed and could fix almost any gun – it was his passion. He also loved to bake to share with others – he was well-known for the muffins he made.

He is survived by his wife, Lisa Potswald, his daughter Rian Briest (Ryan) and her family, his son Kevin Jr. (Tina), and his son Randall (Tina) and their family, and his former mother-in-law Glorine Hunt.  He is also survived by his friend Tim “Swede” Peterson and his other remaining Vietnam Vets MC brothers, and his Madeline Island friends, especially Paul and Charley Brummer, the Riffle and Roche families, Casey Cadotte, and Jimmy Fahien.  He is also survived by his 8 rescue cats, especially his girl Tweakie.  There will be no service, though if Charlie’s Club was still standing there would have been a party.  Please take the time to thank a veteran for their service.

Arrangements provided by Whispering Pines Funeral & Cremation Service, serving Northern Minnesota. 

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