Eino F. Piilola

HURLEY, Wis. - Eino F. Piilola, 83, longtime resident of Ironwood Township, Mich., died peacefully on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2016, at the Villa Maria Health and Rehabilitation Center in Hurley.

He was born Dec. 21, 1932, in Ironwood Township, the son of the late Nante and Femia (Waurio) Piilola.

Eino attended Roosevelt School in Ironwood Township. He worked on the family farm, drove logging trucks, worked at the White Pine Mine, and was a custodian at Gogebic Community College in Ironwood until his retirement.

On Oct. 31, 1953, he married Jean A. Richards at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Ironwood. She preceded him in death on July 1, 1999.

He enjoyed camping at Lake Superior with his wife, Jean, fishing and going for breakfast with his brother, Albert, working on his farm, deer hunting and spending time with his family.

Eino is survived by a son, James (Georgia), of Hurley; a daughter, Cheryl (Juan) Flores, of Spring, Texas; a special friend, Val Higgins, of Hurley; a sister, Martha Rowe, of Wisconsin; a sister-in-law Kay Koruga, of Wakefield, Mich .; five grandchildren, Danielle (Bucky) Adamavich, Hurley, and their children, Megan and Cole; Jesse (Jessie) Piilola, Ironwood, Mich., and their children, Matt, Brooke and Melissa; Sean (Whitney) Vernetti and Evan; Heather (Hiram) Castro, and their children, Chelsea and Evie; and Gabriela (David) Navejas and their children, Jalyse and Jillian; numerous sisters- and brothers-in-law; nieces and nephews; and his special friend and "partner in crime," Ron Ahola, who made every day at the "Villa" an adventure and filled Eino's days with conversation and laughter. Eino's family is forever grateful to you, Ron.

In addition to his parents and his wife, Eino was preceded in death by a daughter, Ann Marie Piilola, on Jan. 3, 1988; his sisters, Miriam, Bertha, Evelyn and Vienna; and his brother and best friend, Albert.

The funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 19, at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Ironwood, with Rev. Bill Jacobson officiating. The family will receive relatives and friends one hour prior to the service on Saturday at the church. A luncheon will follow the service at the church. Interment will be in Sunset Acres Cemetery in Ironwood Township.

Pallbearers will be Juan Flores, David Navejas, James Perry, Jesse Piilola, Jeffrey Richards and Sean Vernetti.

We wish to thank the staff at Villa Maria Health and Rehabilitation Center for your wonderful and loving care given to Eino while he was a resident. We were blessed knowing every day that he was so well taken care of.

Range Funeral Services, Ketola Burla Funeral Home of Ironwood has been entrusted with funeral arrangements. To send on line condolences, visit rangefuneralservices.com.