Clifton D. ‘Skip’ Rautio
ATLANTIC MINE – Clifton D. “Skip” Rautio, 80, a resident of Atlantic Mine, passed away Tuesday evening, August 23, 2016, at his home following a lengthy battle with cancer.
He was born on February 28, 1936, in Redridge a son of the late Wayne and Gertrude (Timonen) Rautio.
As a child, Clifton attended the Onnela and Redridge Schools. He was a graduate of the Houghton High School with the class of 1954.
Mr. Rautio moved to the Detroit area to work before enlisting in the United States Army. He then attended Lawrence Tech where he graduated with an engineering degree.
Mr. Rautio then began a career working for Ford Motor Company, from where he retired in January of 1994 after 30 years of service.
On September 19, 1959, he was united in marriage to the former Faye Walstrom. The couple had resided in Garden City and Northville until Skip’s retirement.
They then summered on the farm in Atlantic Mine which he loved and spent the winters in Bonita Springs, Florida.
Mr. Rautio was a member of Zion Lutheran Church of Hancock. He was a long time member of the Wyandotte Hills Golf Course, where he was a member of the men’s league. More recently, he golfed at the Portage Lake Golf Course. He enjoyed spending time with his sons and grandchildren, hunting and fishing.
Preceding him in death were his parents; his sister, Gloria Romanelli; his in-laws, Edward and Melida Walstrom; and his brother-in-law, Gary Walstrom.
Surviving are his wife, Faye Rautio of Atlantic Mine; his sons, Dr. Jeffrey (Nanette) Rautio of Livonia and their children, Denise, Diana and Mitchell, Jon (Debra) Rautio of Hancock and their children, Luke and Rachel; his brothers and sisters, Clayton Rautio of Benson, North Carolina, Wayne (Diane) “Mert” Rautio of Burkehille, Virginia, Earl Rautio of Angier, North Carolina, Ruth (Jerry) Yoesting of Springfield, Ohio, Jeannette Curtiss of Alamogordo, New Mexico, Darlene (Leonard) DuBay of Stanwood, Washington; his sister-in-law, Arlene (Gene) Silkowski of Rice Lake; and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.
A memorial service for Skip will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, September 5, 2016, at the Zion Lutheran Church of Hancock, with Pastor Jessie Aho to officiate.
Friends may call on Monday, September 5, 2016, from 10 a.m. until time of services at the Zion Lutheran Church of Hancock.
To view Skip’s obituary or to send condolences to the family, please visit memorialchapel.net
In lieu of other expressions of sympathy, memorials can be donated to Zion Lutheran Church.
The Memorial Chapel & Plowe Funeral Homes of Hancock have been assisting the family with the arrangements.
