Helen Leinonen

She was born in 1930, in Hancock, to John and Agnes (Keranen) Eilola. Helen attended the Hancock Central Primary School.

In 1941 she moved with her family to Askel, where they owned and operated a dairy farm, plus grew and sold vegetables. Because her older brother was handicapped, Helen always said she became the “oldest son.” She milked cows, worked in the fields, and drove the crawler tractor. She attended the John A. Doelle School in Tapiola, but quit to work on the farm. She later graduated through the community schools program.

In April 1955, Helen married Paul Leinonen and moved to the bottom of the Askel Hill, where she and Paul operated a dairy farm. It was there that they raised their three children.

After the farming years she held various jobs, which included working for the Senior American Coalition as a service director, and retired after ten years as a teller at the Pelkie Credit Union (now Michigan Tech Employees Federal Credit Union).

She volunteered in numerous capacities over the years for several organizations, committees and causes the Senior American Coalition, as sexton/secretary/treasurer for the Askel Cemetery, member and secretary for the Pelkie Cooperative Society Board for 15 years, and was the first elected woman to serve as a Secretary within the Midland Cooperatives. She served in various capacities at Mission United Lutheran Church in Pelkie over the years to include church council, Evangelism/Social Ministry, a lector and Holy Communion assistant, plus volunteered to work and cook for weddings, funerals, and other special events within the church. She also would visit shut-ins within the community to chat, deliver tapes of services, and administer Holy Communion.

Helen loved to garden, and most summer days you would find her outside working in her greenhouse, a flower bed or her huge fenced in vegetable garden. Her family and neighbors were the beneficiaries of her abundant harvest.

In the winter she faithfully kept her feeders full and knew the names of all the species of birds that flocked to enjoy the abundance of seeds. But when the deer tried to snatch a few morsels, she would rap on the window to scare them or run outside yelling a few choice words!

Helen was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Paul; brothers, John J. (Jackie) and Donald Eilola; and sister, Mae Eilola.

She is survived by sisters, Gloria Mathieu and Nancy Myllyla; sisters-in-law, Nancy Eilola and Joan Leinonen; children, John (Doreen and her children, Amanda and Donnie Rush), Helen (John) Stenvig and their children, Anna (Eric) Bradfish, Nils (Chelsea) Stenvig, and Maija (Nathaniel) Erickson, and Paul (Loretta) and their children, Virginia, Luke, and Zane; plus numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. She also leaves behind nine precious great grandchildren.

Helen was the rock of her family. (She also loved to pick rocks, even finding keepers in her garden!) She loved the Lord and was a firm believer in the power of prayer. She was the “good neighbor” to all! Although she will be sorely missed by family and friends, we know that she has passed into the arms of her loving Savior, which is what she had prayed for.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and wishing to keep everyone healthy and safe, services will not be held for Helen at this time. Instead, a celebration of her life and graveside service will be held late next spring at the Askel Cemetery. In lieu of flowers or other expressions of sympathy, memorials may be made to the Mission United Lutheran Church of Pelkie, in Helen’s name or to a charity of your choice.

Arrangements are being handled by the Jukuri-Antila Funeral Home of Hancock, Antila Funeral Service, Inc.

Online condolences may be expressed to the family at antilafuneral.com.