Gerald Elmer Nopola
July 19, 1932 — March 3, 2010
Gerald E. Nopola, age 77 of Watton, MI passed away on Wednesday, March 3, 2010 at Marquette General Hospital.
He was born July 19, 1932 in Covington, MI son of Toivo and Sylvia (Sikkila) Nopola. Gerald attended school in Covington and graduated from L'Anse High School in 1950. He then went to work at the Cadillac plant in Detroit prior to going into the US Air Force where he was an air traffic controller in Landstuhl, Germany for 3 years. He then worked for the MI DNR prior to working as an air traffic controller for Midway Airport in Chicago. In1961 he became Post Master at the Covington Post Office until his retirement in 1987.
Gerald was married to the former Linnea Hutula on May 28, 1960 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Covington.
He was a life long member of Trinity Lutheran Church; which was the congregation in which his grandfather Elias Nopola was the1st president in 1908 and Gerald served as Treasurer of the congregation for over 25 years. He was a former member of the Covington Twp Fire Dept., lifetime member of the VFW Post #8945 in Covington, and a member of the Copper Country Ham Radio Association. His hobbies included spending time with his family, traveling and Ham Radio.
Surviving are his wife Linnea of Watton; daughters, Deborah (Brian) Schultz of Hewitt, TX, Brenda (Wayne) Jobman of Livonia, MI, Pam (Mark) Kivela of Marshfield, WI; sisters, Shirley Latondress of Waukegan, IL, Elizabeth (Bill) Turner of L'Anse, Marie Leaf and Diane Anderson both of Gore, Oklahoma; six grandchildren, Amy and Michael Schultz, Andrew, Christopher, and Lee Jobman, and Nicole Kivela; in-laws, Dale (Linda) Hutula of Watton, Carole (Marvin) Rajala of Watton, Kris (Donald) Duhame of Ishpeming, MI; several nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Preceding him in death are his parents; brother Albert Nopola, and nephew David Latondress.
His funeral service will be held on Saturday, March 6th at 2:00 PM at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Covington. Visitation will be from 12 noon until the time of the service. Rev. Mark Reinsch will officiate. Burial will be in the spring in the Covington Cemetery. The pallbearers will be Brad Hutula, Mitch Kruse, Daniel Rajala, Andrew Rajala, Dale Hutula, Marvin Rajala, and Donald Duhame.
In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the Trinity Lutheran Church or to the family for Autism Education.
The Jacobson Funeral Home of L'Anse is assisting the family.
Friends may sign Gerald's guest book or send condolences at www.jacobsonfuneralhome.com.