Raymond August Miettinen, 85, passed away on December 26, 2015, at Gardenview Assisted Living & Memory Care Facility, Calumet, MI, where he was a resident for the past 5 years. Ray was born on August 4, 1930, in Chassell, Michigan and was the youngest child of John August Miettinen & Ida Selina (Kumpulainen) Miettinen, both born & raised in Finland.
Baptized & Confirmed at Evangelical Lutheran Church of Chassell.
Graduate of Chassell High School in the Class of 1948.
He married Anna Mae (Kemppa) Miettinen on June 9, 1951, and they celebrated their 64th Anniversary at Gardenview.
Ray was born & raised on a farm on Upper Worham Road in Chassell. He bought the farm from his parents and continued farming. Jilbert Dairy of Calumet bought the milk & Ray also delivered milk door-to-door for many years. After selling the herd in1966, he became a maintenance mechanic at the Republic Mine. The family moved to Republic in 1967 (from a small dairy farm to a small town), but the farmer traits never left. He was a jack-of-all-trades, fixing, remaking, inventing anything he needed.
He retired from the Empire Mine in 1992 (the Republic Mine closed). He loved working in the woods, building saunas, working in one of his carpenter shops or garages, fishing, auctions, and organizing all his tools & equipment. He was always proud to show you his latest invention or project.
Ray was a member of Bethany Lutheran Church in Republic.
He will truly be missed by his wife, family & friends!
Surviving are:
Wife: Anna Mae at Gardenview, Calumet, MI
Children: Karen (Joe) Felton of Racine, WI; Christine (Terry) Evans of Lake Linden, MI; Keith (Juli) of Milan, MI; Glenn (Pam) of Luxembury, WI; Connie (Mark) Spanton of Republic, MI; Kevin of Livonia, MI
One sister: Lillian Ollila of Lady Lake, Florida
Sister-in-laws: Alice Kemppa of Hancock, MI; Betty Lindgren of Bay City, MI
Daughter-in-law: Penny Miettinen, Republic, MI
12 Grandchildren: Carla Streeter, Christopher & Kaitlin Felton, Jason Evans, Alana Nolan, Diana Olkowski, Ryan, Raymond, Creg & Brandon Miettinen, Michael & John Spanton; plus step-grandchildren
20 Great-Grandchildren;
2 Great-great Grandchildren
Several nieces & nephews
Proceeded him in death are:
Parents: John & Ida Miettinen
Youngest Son: David
Grandson: Colan Miettinen
Brothers: Waino (Bingo), William (Bill), Eino, Brian
Sisters: Ethel Suuppi, Elma Miettinen
Daughter-in-law: Donna Miettinen
Brother-in-law: Arnold Kemppa
Father & Mother-in-law: Rudolph & Lydia Kemppa
A funeral services will be held at Faith Lutheran Church, 26016 Depot Street, Calumet, Saturday, January 2, 2016, at 11:00 a.m. with Pastor Peter Vorhes to officiate. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service. A spring burial will be in the Republic Cemetery.
A special thanks to staff at Gardenview for their loving care over the last five years and to Pastor Peter Vorhes for the visits & prayers for both Ray & Ann.
Online condolences for the family may be left at www.ericksoncrowleypeterson.com
The Erickson Crowley Peterson Funeral Home in Calumet is assisting the family with the arrangements.
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