Edward "Art" Arthur Parkkila, Jr.

Edward Arthur “Art” Parkkila, Jr., age 76, of Wetmore, died peacefully in his sleep at his home on Friday, July 24, 2020.  He was born on August 11, 1943 in Munising to the late Edward “Art” and Adeline (McKinney) Parkkila.  Art grew up in Munising and graduated from Wm. G. Mather High School in 1961.  He entered the U.S. Marine Corps and served as magazine keeper as his primary job.  Art served in Vietnam and was honorably discharged as a corporal on February 17, 1966.  He took courses at the skills center at NMU and worked with the pipefitters, electricians, and boil makers before beginning employment at Kimberly Clark.  Art worked in the research lab for over thirty years and had patents at the mill.  He married Nina (Livermore) DesArmo on August 14, 1987.  Art coached Little League, umpired baseball games, and officiated boxing, wrestling, and hockey.  He also worked for the U.S. Census Bureau.  Art enjoyed gardening, helping his neighbors, fishing, blueberry picking, and collecting and trading vinyl albums and sports cards.  He was a talented nature photographer and enjoyed taking Nina and the grandchildren with him on those adventures.  Art was a true outdoorsman and genuinely felt peace when he was in nature.  He stated that he had travelled all around the world, but the U.P. was the most beautiful place of all.

Art is survived by his wife of thirty-three years – Nina Parkkila of Wetmore; children – Janice (Glen) Cote of Norwich, CT, Phillip (Kathy) Parkkila of Munising, Pam (Brent) Bradley of Hart Flat, CA, and Penny Hultman of Traverse City, MI; stepchildren – Kimberly DesArmo of Wetmore and Scott DesArmo of Toccoa, GA; grandchildren – Johnathan Hultman, David Doherty, Tori Hill, Joel and Laura Frazier, Joseph Parkkila, Trevor Maxon, Sonja DesArmo, Andrew Nicholie, Gregory Bultron, Aaron Smith, and Ceara DesArmo; six great-grandchildren; sister – Argene Tiernan; stepbrother – Roland “Cookie” LaLonde; sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law – Carol Parkkila, Fred Livermore, Norm Livermore, Edward Ralph (Carol) Livermore, Linda Greenwood, Kathy (Daniel) Pedde, Paula Livermore, Ronnie Livermore, and Rhonda Hartman; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Art was preceded in death by his parents, grandsons Ryan and Daniel Doherty, brother Everett “Skip” Parkkila, stepbrother – John LaLonde, sisters-in-law Fran Livermore and Mary Livermore, and brother-in-law – Patrick Greewood.

No services will be held.