Roy was born September 17, 1920, in Chisholm, MN, on the Ore Range known as the Mesabe, to John and Jennie (nee, Liedes) Taskinen. Roy graduated from Chisholm High School and Dundwoody Institute in Minneapolis, MN, where he learned the printing trade. He worked for the Clintonville Dairyman’s Gazette and the Shawno County Journal prior to the war. On September 27, 1941, Roy married the former Phoebe Schilling, recently celebrating their 68th anniversary on her birthday.During the war years he worked at Buda Motors and the D.O. James Mfg. Co. as a machinist before joining the U.S. Navy in 1944, serving for 2 ½ years. Following the war he returned to the printing business working for the Vernon County Broadcaster, the Hibbing Daily Tribune and last working for the Racine Journal Times from 1953 until his retirement in 1983.
Roy was very proud of his Finnish heritage. He enjoyed fishing and his time at the dog track and casinos, as well as his involvement in the Journal Times Golf and Bowling Leagues. Roy was known for his falsetto voice and his sense of humor, but most importantly he was a good provider.
Survivors include his loving wife, Phoebe Taskinen; daughters, Dale Andrea Bonn and Carol Ann (Carl) Wondra; grandchildren, Chad (Heidi) Graham, Kimberly (Jim) Olmstead, Teresa Lupi and Bill Bonn; and papa to Jared Graham, Morgan Graham, Braden Graham, Simon Graham, Sadie Graham, Katie Sillanpaa, Ryan Sillanpaa, Amanda Onslow and Miranda Svacina. Roy is also survived by other relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents; son-in-law, Robert Bonn; brother and sister-in-law, Reino and Wanda Taskinen; and nephew, Don Taskinen.
Memorial services for Roy will be held at the funeral home on Sunday, October 25, 2009, at 6 p.m. with Rev. Stephen Jennings and Rev. Daniel Feldscher officiating. Private interment will take place at Southern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery. Relatives and friends may meet with the family at the funeral home on Sunday from 4 p.m. until the time of services. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Milwaukee Children’s Hospital, Lutheran Chapel of the Cross, Trinity Lutheran Church and please adhere to the passage, “Be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another.” Ephesians 4:32 (Roy and Phoebe’s wedding verse).
The family would like to extend a special thanks to Tina (you know who you are) for everything you have done for Mom and Dad, and to Rev. Daniel Feldscher, Barb Tommerup and the caregivers at Ridgewood Care Center for all of their compassionate care they provided to Roy.
I know we will all love and miss our dad and papa. It is, however, a comfort knowing he’s now worry- and pain-free and a happy man.
Purath-Strand Funeral Home & Crematory
3915 Douglas Ave., Racine (262) 639-8000
No comments:
Post a Comment