Mrs. Elli Maria Katri Yli-Heikkila (nee Kojonen), age 99 years, died peacefully in Bethammi Nursing Home in the early hours of September 24, 2015.
Elli was born in Alaharma, Finland on July 16, 1916. At the age of sixteen, she emigrated to Canada and worked as a housekeeper for a Toronto family for a few years. From there she went to Timmins where she met Eino Koski-Harja, a widower with two young sons and married him in 1937.
Later in the same year the family moved to Finland to run the Koski-Harja farm in Kauhajoki. Three more sons were born over the years. After Elli’s husband died in 1958, the farm was sold, and early the next year Elli and the three younger sons left for Canada to join the two older sons who had returned there already some years ago.
Elli soon settled in Thunder Bay and studied to become a nurse’s aide and then worked in St. Joseph’s Hospital for a few years. In 1963 she went to Finland to take a course in traditional therapeutic massage.
After she returned fully qualified, she and her partner, Aarre Yli-Heikkila started giving people massages, and did very well in their profession. They were married in 1975. Elli loved to spend summers at their camp on Cloud Lake.
She was a great cook, homemaker and gardener. She loved to read, she sang in a women’s choir and she was a faithful member of Hilldale Lutheran Church. Her family was her pride and joy, and she kept the bonds between the generations strong.
Elli will be greatly missed by her stepsons Edwin (Maire) and Samuel (Kyllikki); her sons Olavi (Ellen) and Lauri (Pirkko); daughter-in-law Vuokko; by grandchildren Ricky and Rita; Ed Jr. (Gayle) and Sheila; Anita (Kevin) and Eric (Kim); Antti (Laura) and Mikko (Tracy). Elli is also survived by several great grandchildren and great great grandchildren as well as relatives and friends in Finland, Canada and U.S.A.
Elli was predeceased by her first husband Eino Koski-Harja (1958), her second husband Aarre Yli-Heikkila (1991), her parents Teodore and Selma Kojonen, her brother Esko Kojonen (1941), daughter-in-law Janina Harja (1993) and son Heikki Koski-Harja (2010).
According to Elli’s wishes, cremation has taken place. A private Funeral Service will be held in Hilldale Lutheran Church. In lieu of flowers, donations in Elli’s memory to your favourite charity would be appreciated.
