Elma Kemppainen

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Elma Kemppainen 93, of Elo, died peacefully March 16, 2005, at Bayside Village in L'Anse.

She was born on February 11, (but claimed the 12th because it was her name day) 1912, in Hancock to Ida Eilola and Juha Aaron Paavola. She attended elementary school in Hancock before moving to Elo with her family. She attended the old Elo school through the 8th grade, when the death of her mother made it necessary for her to stay home to care for her younger sister and brother. She married Uno Kemppainen of Chassell in 1934.

During the Depression, they found work in Chicago as a housekeeping couple. They returned to Elo in 1940 and took over her family farm, working it together until the late 1950s.

Elma was baptized and confirmed in the Finnish Lutheran Church and was a long-time member of Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Elo, and a member of Grace Free Lutheran Church in Pelkie in later years. Elma loved contesting, and was very successful at it, especially the kind that required a response "in 25 words or less". She taught herself the necessary home skills: cooking, baking, sewing, knitting, and crocheting. She bargained for a set of home-constructed looms and began weaving rag rugs. The excellent quality of her rugs always kept demand ahead of production. Elma was a gracious hostess. Everyone who stopped by her home was served homemade kahvi-leipA�A� with coffee. She was an avid baker who collected and saved recipes into her 80s. She bought a set of wedding cake pans and taught herself cake decorating. She made beautiful cakes for many local weddings. For a time, she made pasties and sold them in the community. She is lovingly remembered for her warm and generous spirit, her patience, and her boundless gift of love.

Elma was predeceased by her husband Uno in 1993, and her brother John in 1967, a half-sister Impi and a half-brother Carl.

She is survived by 3 sons: Allen (Barbara) Kemppainen of Holland, MI, John Kemppainen of Jacksonville, FL, Carey Kemppainen of Elo and 5 daughters: Joan (Fred) Thompson of Lincolnshire, IL, Donna (Bill) Dickert of Grand Ledge, MI, Betty Javoroski of Lansing, MI, Sandy Weins of San Mateo, CA, and Alane (Jeffrey) Isaacson of Elo. She leaves 15 grandchildren: Greg Kemppainen of Lansing, MI, Christina (Carl) Jastrzembski of Holland, MI, Caroline (Mike) Nagy of Lansing, Mark Thompson of Campbell, CA, Dara Thompson of Elk Grove, IL, John Jr. (Susie) Kemppainen of St. Louis, MO, Aaron Dickert of Lansing, Karla Dickert of East Lansing, Joey Javoroski of Lansing, Katriina (Kris) Williams of East Lansing, Liisa Isaacson of San Francisco, CA, Senia Isaacson of Elo, Matt Isaacson of Elo, Julianne Kemppainen of L'Anse, and Marshall Kemppainen of Houghton. She also leaves 6 great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews, a sister Gertrude Beck at Bayside Village and sister-in-law Elvie Moyle of Anaheim, CA.

A May memorial service and burial are planned. The Jacobson Funeral Home is assisting the family.

Contributions, if desired, may be made to Meals on Wheels or Hospice.