Nathan Ruonavaara

Nathan was born in Mohawk, on April 28, 1928, the second of seven children, to Felix and Anna (Lassila) Ruonavaara. He spent his childhood years in Gay and Fulton.

After graduating from Calumet High School in 1945, Nathan moved to Detroit and became a fireman on the freighter, Thunder Bay Quarry, for one summer. Other jobs included a maintenance man at the Arnold Home in Detroit, lumberman at Braun Lumber in Detroit, and bus driver for Calumet Schools upon his return to the area. In 1953, he was hired by North Central Airlines as a station agent at the Houghton County Memorial Airport and then became the airline station manager for various airlines over a span of 42 years.

He was united in marriage to Miriam Elizabeth Fellman on Sept. 14, 1957, at the Fellman farm in Nottingham, New Hampshire, by Reverand Paul Heideman. Nathan and Miriam raised their ten children in Laurium, then later moved to Lake Linden Hill where he resided until his death. Nathan was a loving and devoted husband, father, and grandfather, but above all, a faithful servant of the Lord his entire life and an avid student of the scriptures.

At a young age, he was called to the ministry and served many Apostolic Lutheran congregations locally and throughout the country as a preacher and Finnish translator.

He was also called to speak in the State Church of Finland. Playing the organ and singing Christian hymns, often in Finnish for his family, was one of his favorite pastimes. His spiritual guidance touched many lives, especially the young.

Nathan was an ardent woodworker, boat builder, and was often found in his workshop building snow scoops, slides, toboggans, and other items for his children and grandchildren. He invented a snow broom to remove snow from the wings of aircraft which provided a large cost savings to airlines across the country.

His love for the outdoors found him in the backwoods of the Keweenaw where he, at the age of 17, shot his first buck which was rated second in Keweenaw County in the Commemorative Bucks of Michigan for non-typical. He continued to reel in lake trout until the age of 96, and his sons and grandsons are still chasing his buck and fish family records.

Gardening, farming, taking care of his raspberry patch, and sitting on his swing at his camp at Hermit’s Cove were other favorite pastimes. He loved his saunas and was able to enjoy them even in his last days.

Nathan is survived by his wife, Miriam, of 68 years, Calumet; nine children,

Linda Ruonavaara of Calumet, Timothy Ruonavaara of Calumet, Thomas (Judith) Ruonavaara of Calumet, Rebecca Braun of Hermit’s Cove, Peter Ruonavaara of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Mary (Todd) Ellis of New Hope, Minnesota, Nancy (Marcus) Ingram of Garden City, Victoria (Bryan) Loveland of Wausau, Wisconsin, and Nathan (Mary) Ruonavaara of Calumet; son-in-law, Michael Jukuri of Laurium; and 31 grandchildren and 27 great grandchildren. He is also survived by his sister Luella (Robert) Grangroth; sister-in-law,

Gladys Ruonavaara Lahti; and brother-in-law, George Wisuri, all of Minnesota; and numerous nieces and nephews. 

He is preceded in death by his parents, Felix and Anna Ruonavaara; siblings, Helen (Dan) Kariniemi, Julia Holman, Mary (Roy) Skoog, Anna (Izzi) Wisuri, and Quentin Ruonavaara; and children, Carol Ann (infant) and Judith Jukuri.

Visitation to be held from 5-8 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025, at Memorial Chapel Funeral & Cremation Service – Hancock Chapel. The funeral service will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025, at 11 a.m. with visitation one hour prior to the service at the Tapiola Apostolic Lutheran Church, Herb Jarvi officiating. Luncheon to follow at the church immediately after the service. Burial will be at the Lakeview Cemetery after the luncheon.

To view Nathan’s obituary or to send condolences to the family, please visit www.memorialchapel.net.

The Memorial Chapel Funeral & Cremation Service – Hancock Chapel has been assisting the family with the arrangements.