IRIS M. PIETILA's Obituary
IRIS M. PIETILA, 63, of L’Anse, passed away at Baraga County Memorial Hospital, Tuesday evening, October 26, 2004, following a 4 year courageous struggle with Pulmonary Fibrosis. She was born in Hancock, MI. on September 18, 1941 daughter of the late Edwin and Violet (Sallinen) Tossava. Iris attended Alston School and graduated from Baraga High School in 1959. She married Charles Pietila on October 3, 1959 at St. Henry’s Lutheran Church in Nisula, MI. Iris held various positions including, Larry’s Market, Pelkie Co-Op, and as a teachers aide and bus driver for L’Anse Area Schools. She owned her own beauty salon, Iris’s Wurl-A-Curl in Alston until her retirement in 1996. Iris was a member of Mission United Lutheran Church, Pelkie, and former member of St. Henry’s Lutheran Church in Nisula. She loved the outdoors, camping, and snowmobiling. Iris enjoyed caring for others, but her family always came first. She loved to sew and cook and made the best homemade stuffing.
Mrs. Pietila is survived by her loving husband, Charles, sons; Thomas Pietila (Julene Bastion) of Alston, Timothy (Cindy) Pietila of Ontonagon, Charles W. Jr. Pietila of L’Anse, Jason (Christy) Pietila of Lakeside, CA., daughters, Wanda (Glenn) Juntunen of Pelkie, and Laurie (Tim) Zuidmulder of Champlin, MN., grandchildren; Arjay, Dustin, Corey, Kollin, Anna, Breana, Olivia, Dawson, Mark, Christopher, and Robert, brother; Francis (Barbara) Tossava of Alston, sisters; Phyllis (Greg) Miron of Applevalley, MN., Brenda (Pat) Carroll of Plattsmouth, NE., and Fern (Tim) Michaels of Beloit, WI. Numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and many special and much loved friends also survive. She was preceded in death by her in-laws, Ruth and Evert Moilanen.
Funeral services for Mrs. Pietila were held at 12 noon on Saturday, October 30, 2004 at the Reid Funeral Service and Chapel, L’Anse with Reverend Tom Wickstrom officiating. Interment took place in the Nisula Cemetery. The family received friends at the funeral chapel on Saturday from 10 a.m. until time of the service. Following the service, friends were invited to join the family for fellowship and luncheon in the Harrington gathering room, located at the funeral home. The Reid Funeral Service and Chapel, L’Anse has been entrusted with arrangements. Mrs. Pietila’s obituary may also be viewed and condolences sent to the family at www.rfsc.net.
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