Ilma Szugalew

Sadly, the family of Ilma Szugalew, a resident of Roseview Manor, Thunder Bay, announce her peaceful passing on July 10, 2020. Delivered by a midwife in Fort William, ON on April 25, 1921, Ilma lived to see incredible changes in her nearly 100 years of life. Born to immigrant Finnish parents, Maria and Mikael Hanson of South Gillies, mom grew up immersed in her culture and carried her Finn heritage and history close to her heart her entire life. She chronicled her ancestry, continued to speak and read her first language to the end, and in later years, helped with Finnish consulate work in her long career as a legal stenographer for Mr. A. A. Kajander, Q.C.

Mom grew up on Alexandra St., Fort William, and attended Ogden St. and Fort William Vocational schools. No stranger to tragedy, Ilma lost her father at age 5, in 1926, in an industrial accident and her older sister Valma to tuberculosis when Valma was 17. Thereafter, mom and "Aiti" faced the world together - through the depression and the Second World War, mom helped to support the small family when she went to work at age 17. Despite these difficult times, Ilma never lost her sense of optimism and gratitude, nor her sense of thriftiness. She was satisfied with the beauty she saw around her in nature, expressing it throughout her life in poetry and in painting, and always preferred to look for the good in everyone. We children grew up with the saying "if you don't have anything good to say about someone, then don't say anything at all".

Mom met and married the love of her life, Fedor Szugalew, a Russian immigrant, in 1953. When asked why she waited until age 32 to marry, she replied without apology, "I just didn't find anyone that suited me". Despite much opposition from her mother over her choice, mom and dad were happily married and lived on Rockwood Ave., Thunder Bay, for 56 years, until his passing in 2010. Together, they built and appreciated the life they made together, and never stopped loving and respecting each other.

We children, Marilyn, Sonya and Karl were born into a small but loving and always supportive family. Mom gave us humour, dignity and creativity; dad taught us loyalty, perseverance and inner strength. 

Though our hearts are broken at her passing, we recognize that mom's time had come. To the end, she never wavered in her sense of wonder at her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, her steadfast love for her family and her appreciation for her care. We would be hard-pressed to find a more accepting, unprejudiced and gentle-natured soul on this earth. We love you mom.

Ilma was predeceased by both parents, Maria and Mikael Hanson, sister Valma, and grandson Kyle Patola, as well as husband Fedor and all of his family. She is survived by children Marilyn Palosaari, Sonya O'Brien (Mark), Karl Szugalew (Luciana); grandchildren Jason and Kristi Palosaari, Jen (James) Patola, Melissa Biscardi, Mikhail and Lucas Szugalew, and Lucas (Ashley) and Christian (Gabriela) O'Brien; great-grandchildren Kyuss and Chloe Liles and Santana O'Brien.

Due to Covid restrictions, Ilma will be honoured at a private family gathering, and laid to rest with husband Fedor at Riverside cemetery. Should restrictions allow, friends will be invited to gather at a later date.

The family wishes to express our extreme gratefulness to the staff of Roseview Manor, who provided such kindness and excellent attentiveness during the past 3 1/2 years, especially during the recent months of Covid-19 when we were unable to be there. Mom never wavered in the praise of your care.

Should expressions of sympathy be desired, donations may be made in Ilma's memory to Alzheimer Society of Thunder Bay.