Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
SEATTLE, Wash. — Elaine Paananen, of Seattle, died Sept. 22, 2014.
She was born in Ironwood, Mich., on Aug. 14, 1928.
She married Eugene Elmer Paananen also from Ironwood. He was a decorated WWII Army veteran and German POW.
Family was the center of their lives, having seven children, 11 grandchildren and seven great-grand children. She instilled in the family a pride for our Finnish heritage. She enjoyed being involved in the Lutheran Church, volunteering at the food bank, cooking (her specialties being pasties, nissua and prune tarts), garage sales and antiques. She was an expert at packing a tiny camper for family vacations.
Over the years they lived in Chicago, Ill., Livonia, Mich., Thousand Oaks, Calif., Brighton, Mich., and Williamston, Mich. As snow birds they enjoyed wintering in Mesa, Ariz. They moved to Seattle to be near family.
Elaine is survived by sons, Terrence (Mary), William (Marian), Ronald (Kelly), all of Seattle, and Richard (Sandy), England; daughter, Sue Ellen, Seattle area; and sisters, Maymi Belmas and Vienna Hubel, Mich.
She is preceded in death by her husband, Eugene; son, David; and daughter, Cheryl.
A memorial service will be held at Lamb of God Lutheran Church, 12509 27th Ave NE, Seattle, Saturday, Oct. 11, 2014, at 1 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Lamb of God Lutheran Church, North Helpline Food Bank in Seattle or The Salvation Army.
