Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties

Ruth W. Lampinen

HANCOCK, Mich. — Ruth W. Lampinen, 87, of Hancock, passed away early on Saturday morning, March 15, 2014, at PortagePointe.

She was born on April 20, 1926, at Mason Hill, a daughter of the late Charles and Riika (Tuovila) Lantto. She attended local schools.

On June 17, 1950, she married Robert A. Lampinen at the former Franklin Street Apostolic Lutheran Church in Hancock. The family lived in Detroit and Livonia from 1960 through 1979 before returning to live in Hancock. Ruth worked briefly at several retail stores and was a local private home health care worker for several years.

Ruth’s faith and family were very important to her. She was a lifelong member of the Apostolic Lutheran Church. She also had a “servant’s heart” who loved her family and many friends, especially her grandchildren. All things she did were to the glory of God, not to her. She also enjoyed crocheting, walking, gardening and working crossword puzzles.

Besides her parents, she was also preceded in death by her husband, Robert, on Oct. 6, 1986; sisters, Edna, Martha, Lillian and Verna; brothers, Charles and Arvid; a granddaughter; a great-granddaughter; and by eight brothers-in-law.

She is survived by four sons, Stanley (Shirley), of Marysville, Wash., Daryl (Betty), of Everett, Wash., Brian (Elizabeth), of Greer, S.C., and Curtis (Karen), of Houghton; two daughters, Roberta (Jon) Dunstan, of Houghton, and Linda (James) Impola, of Ironwood; 31 grandchildren; 36 great-grandchildren; five sisters, Selma Karjala, of Gwinn, Junetta Ranta, of Lake Linden, Ida Lukkarila, of Cloquet, Minn., Anna Knuuttila, of Ewen, and Evelyn (Glenn) Chapman, of Hancock; her in-laws, Florence Westerholm, Elaine Lampinen, Mildred Lampinen, Bernie (Hester) Lampinen, Wesley (Verna) Lampinen and Earl Lampinen; and by many nieces, nephews, cousins and dear friends.

Funeral services will be held in the Range Apostolic Lutheran Church in South Range on Thursday, March 27, with the Revs. Kenneth Storm and Chuck Bylkas to officiate.

Spring burial will be in Lakeside Cemetery in Hancock.

Friends may call at the church on Wednesday, March 26, from 5 until 7 p.m., and on Thursday, March 27, from 10 a.m. until the 11 a.m. funeral service.

The O’Neill-Dennis Funeral Home in Hancock is assisting with the arrangements.

To leave online condolences, please go to oneilldennisfh.com.