1922
Lily
2010
Lily Edith Elvira Ritola
May 24, 1922 — December 23, 2010
Eben Junction
Lily Edith Elvira (nee Karppinen) Ritola passed away on Thursday, December 23, 2010 at the Gogebic Medical Care Nursing Home in Wakefield where she had resided the past two years. The move to Wakefield allowed her to spend time with her granddaughter and her family. Lily was born on May 24, 1922 in Sundell to Anna (nee Tarvudd) and Ade Karppinen who emigrated from Finland. She attended school in Sundell and Eben. On August 19, 1938 Lily married Frank Ritola of Eben and together they operated a dairy farm until their retirement in 1976. During those working years on the farm, Lily also acquired her G.E.D. which was an accomplishment of which she was very proud. Lily and Frank loved to bowl and visit friends. Their favorite pastime was dancing and they especially enjoyed the Finland Calling Dances. They were married sixty-one years and together they raised one daughter, Gloria Jean, who preceded them in death on November 18, 1992. Also preceding Lily in death were her parents, husband Frank, brother Vaino Karppinen, sister Hilia Karppinen, son-in-law Bill Braamse, and brother-in-law Ray Matula.
Lily is survived by her granddaughter and husband - Susan and Dan Obradovich of Wakefield; grandson - Jack Braamse of Rock River; great-grandchildren - Shane Graves of Marquette, Nicholas Obradovich and Rachel Obradovich of Wakefield; her sister - Florence Matula of Greenville, MI; sister-in-law - Martha Karppinen of Negaunee; cousin - Matt (Cindy) Ritola of Charlotte, NC; nieces and nephews - Anne Boling, Mike (Joyce) Matula, Edith Lansing, Ralph Matula, Kaye (Dean) Jensen and Barb Williamson; along with other cousins.
She was very patient and kind and never had a bad word to say about anyone, and Lily was generous with her time. She spent many evenings teaching her younger cousin Matt how to speak English after he came from Soviet occupied Finland. Lily made the greatest chocolate chip cookies and was like a second mother to her sister Florence's six children who helped Lily and Frank on the farm. She loved to go brook trout fishing, to go on Senior Citizen trips after Frank died and she enjoyed her senior meals with her Happy Pioneer friends. Lily was a loving wife, mother and grandmother with a wonderful sense of humor.
Her family would like to thank the staff at Gogebic Medical for the care they gave Lily, especially Joye who took extra time to make sure she ate well. Also, special thanks to her friends and neighbors in Eben and Chatham who sent cards and letters to her while she resided at Gogebic - especially Helen Maki.
Visitation will be held at the Bowerman Funeral Home in Munising on Wednesday evening from 5:00 until 7:00 p.m. Deacon John Weber will conduct Lily's funeral in the funeral home's chapel on Thursday, December 30, 2010 at 10:00 a.m. Interment will be at the Pine Grove Cemetery in Chatham in the spring of 2011.
Lily Edith Elvira (nee Karppinen) Ritola passed away on Thursday, December 23, 2010 at the Gogebic Medical Care Nursing Home in Wakefield where she had resided the past two years. The move to Wakefield allowed her to spend time with her granddaughter and her family. Lily was born on May 24, 1922 in Sundell to Anna (nee Tarvudd) and Ade Karppinen who emigrated from Finland. She attended school in Sundell and Eben. On August 19, 1938 Lily married Frank Ritola of Eben and together they operated a dairy farm until their retirement in 1976. During those working years on the farm, Lily also acquired her G.E.D. which was an accomplishment of which she was very proud. Lily and Frank loved to bowl and visit friends. Their favorite pastime was dancing and they especially enjoyed the Finland Calling Dances. They were married sixty-one years and together they raised one daughter, Gloria Jean, who preceded them in death on November 18, 1992. Also preceding Lily in death were her parents, husband Frank, brother Vaino Karppinen, sister Hilia Karppinen, son-in-law Bill Braamse, and brother-in-law Ray Matula.
Lily is survived by her granddaughter and husband - Susan and Dan Obradovich of Wakefield; grandson - Jack Braamse of Rock River; great-grandchildren - Shane Graves of Marquette, Nicholas Obradovich and Rachel Obradovich of Wakefield; her sister - Florence Matula of Greenville, MI; sister-in-law - Martha Karppinen of Negaunee; cousin - Matt (Cindy) Ritola of Charlotte, NC; nieces and nephews - Anne Boling, Mike (Joyce) Matula, Edith Lansing, Ralph Matula, Kaye (Dean) Jensen and Barb Williamson; along with other cousins.
She was very patient and kind and never had a bad word to say about anyone, and Lily was generous with her time. She spent many evenings teaching her younger cousin Matt how to speak English after he came from Soviet occupied Finland. Lily made the greatest chocolate chip cookies and was like a second mother to her sister Florence's six children who helped Lily and Frank on the farm. She loved to go brook trout fishing, to go on Senior Citizen trips after Frank died and she enjoyed her senior meals with her Happy Pioneer friends. Lily was a loving wife, mother and grandmother with a wonderful sense of humor.
Her family would like to thank the staff at Gogebic Medical for the care they gave Lily, especially Joye who took extra time to make sure she ate well. Also, special thanks to her friends and neighbors in Eben and Chatham who sent cards and letters to her while she resided at Gogebic - especially Helen Maki.
Visitation will be held at the Bowerman Funeral Home in Munising on Wednesday evening from 5:00 until 7:00 p.m. Deacon John Weber will conduct Lily's funeral in the funeral home's chapel on Thursday, December 30, 2010 at 10:00 a.m. Interment will be at the Pine Grove Cemetery in Chatham in the spring of 2011.
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