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Selma Esther Karjala

GWINN Our loving mother, Selma (Sally) Esther Karjala, 95, of Gwinn, peacefully passed away on Saturday, October 8, 2016, at her home surrounded by her family.

She was born May 21, 1921, in Hancock, the 6th of 12 children of Charles (Kalle) and Ulriika Lantto. She graduated from Dollar Bay High School in 1941 and St. Joseph’s Hospital School of Nursing in Hancock in 1945.

She was married to the Rev. Ahti Karjala in November 1945. Selma was a devoted pastor’s wife and will be remembered as a gracious hostess, loving sister, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother.

She loved baking and was a wealth of knowledge about Finnish foods and her family’s history in the Copper Country. She twice had the opportunity to visit her family in Oulu, Finland. She loved watching Tiger baseball with her son, Paul.

She is survived by her sons, David, John and Paul of Gwinn, Phil (Kathryn Hager) of Marinette, Marty (Dorothy) of Gakona, Alaska; daughter, Kathy (Bill) Grau of Defiance, Ohio; sisters, Junetta Ranta of Lake Linden, Ida Lukkarila of Cloquet Minnesota; four grandchildren, Terry (Thomas) Warren, Sally (Demian) Werner, Autumn (James) Kirk and Jacob Karjala; six great-grandchildren, Peyton, Cody and Max Werner, Mary Madison and Molly Warren and Freya Kirk; also numerous nieces, nephews and their children and grandchildren.

She is preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Ahti; son, Duane; daughters, Ilona and Sharon; and seven siblings, Edna Tauriainen, Lillian Peterson, Charles Lantto Jr., Arvid Lantto, Martha Tauriainen, Ruth Lampinen, Verna Johnson, Anna Knuuttila, Evelyn Chapman.

Loved by all for her compassion and devotion to family, she will be deeply missed.

The family is especially grateful for the care her son, Paul, provided to keep her at home and to UP Home Health and Hospice.

A funeral service will be held on Saturday, October 15, 2016, at 3 p.m. at Grace Lutheran Church in Gwinn, with Rev. Andrew Plocher officiating.

Visitation will be one hour prior to the service in the church. A luncheon will take place in the church hall immediately following the service.

Graveside services will be on Monday, October 17, 2016, at 11 a.m. in the Negaunee Cemetery. Mrs. Karjala’s sons will act as her escorts.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Grace Lutheran Church Memorial Fund, 558 M-35, Gwinn, 49841, in Mrs. Karjala’s memory.

The Canale Gwinn Funeral Home is assisting the family where online condolences may be left at canalefuneral.com.