Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties

Marion Esther Stierna

IRONWOOD, Mich. - Marion Esther Stierna, 99, of Ironwood, formerly of Melbourne, Fla., died peacefully Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2016, at Westgate Nursing, Rehabilitation and Assisted Living Community in Ironwood, with her loving daughter by her side.

The former Marion Esther Juntunen was born June 17, 1916, in Holmes City, Minn., daughter of the late Edwin and Minnie (Heikkinen) Juntunen. When she was less than 11 months old, her family left Holmes City and brought Marion to a "wilderness" area north of Grand Rapids, Minn. That area soon became a farming community called "Suomi."

Marion grew up on the family farm with two sisters, Mildred and Adeline, and a brother, Oliver. She learned to play the pump organ when she was 7 or 8 years old and often played for her father, who loved to sing Finnish hymns and folk songs. By the time she was 11, she started to play the hymns and liturgy for the Suomi Church's Sunday services. She continued to play until she graduated from Grand Rapids High School in 1934. She also directed the Suomi Church choir and the local community choir. After graduating, Marion continued her education at Suomi College, Hancock, and Bemidji State College, Bemidji, Minn., and taught elementary school in three northern Minnesota communities.

In 1939, Marion married Herbert Wayne Stierna and moved to Detroit. Marion and Herbert had four children, one girl and three boys. She attended Wayne State University in Detroit and then taught in the Detroit Public School System until she retired.

Over the years, Marion was church choir director, children's choir director, chime choir leader, Sunday School superintendent, church newsletter editor and so much more. She and Herbert retired to Melbourne and lived near their youngest son, Ray. Herbert died in 1989. Marion continued to live in Melbourne for 28 more years and moved to Westgate Nursing, Rehabilitation and Assisted Living Community in Ironwood in 2005.

She was a member of St. Timothy's Lutheran Church in Melbourne, Zion Lutheran Church in Ironwood, WELCA and the Esther Circle. While at Westgate, she sang in the local Finnish American Festival Chorus for a while and especially enjoyed playing the piano to entertain herself and others. She was given the nickname, "The Piano Lady" until failing eyesight kept her from playing any longer. One of her special joys was to listen to tapes of Finnish music. She remembered all the words of many songs that she learned in her childhood. She also delighted in hearing the stories of her family as written in "Edwin and Minnie: Their Family Story."

Surviving are three sons, Paul, Washington, Mich., John (Ruth), Hidden Valley Lake, Calif., and Ray (Lois), Melbourne; a daughter, Gale Hellier, Ironwood; 10 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; brother, Oliver Juntunen, Suomi; sister, Adeline Bergeson, Reno, Nev .; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Besides her parents and husband, Marion was predeceased by her son-in-law, Rev. Michael Hellier, in 1998; sister, Mildred Hanson; sister-in-law, Gertrude Juntunen; and brother-in-law, Bernett Bergeson.

In accordance with her family's wishes, cremation has taken place.

A Service of Remembrance for Marion will be held for the residents and staff of Westgate at Westgate on Wednesday, Feb. 10, at 10 a.m., with Pastor Kurt Kovanen officiating.

Memorial services and interment will take place in Melbourne at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to Zion Lutheran Church, Ironwood, or St. Timothy's Lutheran Church, Melbourne.

Arrangements were entrusted to McKevitt-Patrick Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Ironwood. Condolences may be given to the family of Marion Stierna online at mckevittpatrickfuneralhome.com.