Aune Marie (Koski) Juntunen

Eben Junction

Aune Marie Juntunen, age 97, of Eben Junction, died early Friday morning, November 17, 2017 at UPHS Marquette.  She was born the on the family homestead in Eben Junction on January 31, 1920 to Finnish immigrants Uuno and Alma (Makinen) Koski.  Aune was the third of nine children.  She grew up on the family farm and had a wonderful childhood spending summers swimming in the Slapneck River and playing baseball with friends.  When they had spare time, they would hop onto the trains at the junction and spend the days in Munising, Ishpeming or Gladstone.  Growing up on the farm was a lot of hard work and Aune helped with chores and selling dairy products.  She and her sister would alternate days attending school or going into town with their father to help with the English language barrier.  Aune earned her diploma from Eben High School.  She married Arne Vartti on June 10, 1939.  They were married four months when he was in a logging accident and became paralyzed.  Aune went to work for the U.S. Postal Service and became Postmaster in Eben Junction.  She cared for Arne at home and worked full time.  After twenty years of marriage, Arne died unexpectedly of a brain aneurysm.  Aune continued working and found love again when she married Elmer Juntunen on April 15, 1961.  They were blessed with a son, Paul, on May 28, 1962 and as a family they enjoyed traveling and supporting Paul and his love of sports.  Aune and Elmer built a room on their home that served as the Post Office until she retired in 1982.  Aune and Elmer spent twenty winters in Florida after retirement.  Their travels took them across the country and to Finland many times.  Aune opened her home to her nieces and nephews and also took in two women who needed help after the hospital in Newberry closed.  She was an active and faithful member of the Calvary Free Lutheran Church in Eben.  Aune and Elmer were married over fifty-one years when he preceded her in death on September 23, 2012.  Aune spent her life taking care of other people and she never complained.  She was a loving and giving daughter, wife, mother, sister, aunt, and friend.  Aune moved to Mill Creek Assisted Living in Marquette three and half months ago and she enjoyed reuniting and reconnecting with old friends.

She is survived by three sisters – Alma Luoma of Spring Hill, FL, Ailie Peach of Nashville, TN, and Arlene Keskimaki of Gwinn, MI; and numerous very special nieces and nephews.  Aune was preceded in death by her parents, husbands Arne and Elmer, her son Paul Juntunen on November 30, 2011, brothers Into and Edward Koski, and sisters Aine Tweedale, Anna Kamppinen, and Allie Hamel.

Services will be held at the Calvary Free Lutheran Church in Eben on Tuesday, November 21, 2017.  Visitation will be from 11:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.  Pastor Tom Schierkolk will conduct Aune’s funeral service at 1:00 p.m.   A fellowship luncheon will take place at the church following the funeral service.  Interment will be at the Pine Grove Cemetery in Chatham on Thursday, May 24, 2018 at 3:30 p.m.  Aune will be escorted by her nephews.

Memorials in Aune’s name may be directed to the Calvary Free Lutheran Church.