Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties

Esther Edith Levijoki

RHINELANDER, Wis. — Esther Edith Levijoki, 92, passed away peacefully April 1, 2017, a resident of Cumberland Heights Assisted Living in Rhinelander.

She was born Sept. 22, 1924, to Clarence and Helmi (Hakala) Stenroos in Thomson Township, near Cloquet, Minn.

Esther’s parents both passed away by the time she was 3 years old and consequently she lived most of her childhood with her grandparents, William and Hannah Stenroos, in Cloquet.

Edward, her only sibling, went to live with Helmi’s parents, Franz and Mary Hakala, in Kinny, Minn. Her favorite uncles, Mike Hakala and Raymond Stenroos, would thoughtfully include her in some of their local automobile excursions, visiting family and sightseeing, giving her some very much appreciated social times. Esther learned to sew during her childhood and made her own high school graduation dress. She met Army Private Waino J. Levijoki at a church convention and they married Oct. 29, 1943.

Esther worked in a military airplane factory during World War II while Waino assisted medics in the Pacific. The couple purchased a small farm in north Ironwood, Mich., after the war. Esther later worked admitting patients at Grand View Hospital and then as a loan officer for Gogebic National Bank. She was creative in sewing, knitting, crocheting, embroidery and cross-stitch, and won numerous ribbons at the county fair.

Upon retirement, Esther and Waino traveled in their RV, visiting longtime friends residing at Mesa, Ariz., eventually becoming residents themselves. Esther later lived at Villa Vista Senior Housing in Hurley.

Esther was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Edward; sons, Richard and David; grandson, John; and husband, Waino.

She is survived by sons, Larry (Anna), of Rhinelander, Alan (Susan), of Clio, Mich., and Marshall (Stephanie), of Ann Arbor, Mich .; a daughter, Alana (Chris) Romney, of West Jordan, Utah; eight grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.

Carlson Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements. Cremation has taken place and a memorial service will be held at at a later date at the Sunset Acres Cemetery in Ironwood.

Following the service, the family will receive friends at a luncheon at the Apostolic Lutheran Church in Ironwood.

Donations in memory of Esther can be made to the Apostolic Lutheran Church.

The family wishes a heart-felt thank you to the personnel of Cumberland Heights Assisted Living and Hospice for their caring work.

 
 
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