Obituary for Helen S. Pumala
Helen S. Pumala, 95, a
longtime Ironwood resident, died Saturday, Nov. 6, 2010, in
Ironwood. The former Helen S. Ranta was born Oct. 10,
1915, in Wakefield, daughter of the late Victor and Hilma (Luoma) Ranta,
attended grade school in Erwin Township, Ironwood, and graduated from Luther L.
Wright High School in 1933. She then attended one year of college at Northern
State Teachers College in Marquette and taught school in Erwin Township for
three years. She married Matt E. Pumala on June 22, 1936,
in Ironwood. Together, they made their home and raised a family. Matt preceded
her in death on Sept. 4, 1986. Helen returned to college and graduated from
Northern Michigan University in 1964 as a licensed practical nurse. She then
worked at Grand View Hospital for 13 1/2 years, retiring in 1977. She was a charter member of Trinity Lutheran
Church in Ironwood, where she belonged to the Dorcas Guild. She enjoyed working
in her yard, and especially enjoyed spending time with her family and
grandchildren. Surviving are two sons, Bryan (Yvonne),
Ironwood, and Terry (Elsa Beth), Ironwood Township; ten grandchildren, Scott
(Rachel) Stenstrom, and Bret (Shelly) Stenstrom, both of Hibbing, Minn., Tod
(Jennifer) Stenstrom, Minneapolis, Minn., Jodi (Paul) Knutson, Maplewood, Minn.,
Brad and Eric Pumala, both of Ironwood, Lisa (Weston) Walowinski, Hurley, Wis.,
Laura (Mike) Maki, Gladstone, Jeremy (Eloisa) Pumala, Davenport, Iowa, and Maria
(Andrew) Wickman, Ashland, Wis.; 18 great-grandchildren, Matthew, Blake, Emily,
Molly, Mitchell, Ida, George, Megan, Thomas, Evan, Tahaner, Chandler, Dawson,
Isaac, Sonya, Andre, Daniel and Eli; a son-in-law, David Stenstrom, Hibbing; an
aunt, Ruth Latvala, Green Bay, Wis.; brothers-and-sister-in-law, Carl Pumala,
Arizona, Jack Pumala, Ann Arbor, Mich., and Martha Cirilli, Wisconsin; and
numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. Besides her parents and husband, Helen was
preceded in death by her daughter, Karen Stenstrom, in 2005. At the family's request, cremation has taken
place. A memorial service will be held Thursday, Nov.
11, at 11 a.m., at Trinity Lutheran Church in Ironwood, with the Rev. Wesley
"Bo" Baumeister officiating. Committal will take place at the church, with
luncheon to follow in the church fellowship hall. Interment will be in Riverside Cemetery,
Ironwood. Relatives and friends may call at the church
from 10 to 11 a.m. on Thursday. Memorials are preferred to the Trinity
Lutheran Church Memorial Fund, 5104 E. Margaret St., Ironwood, Mich.
49938. Helen's obituary may be viewed online, and
condolences given to her family, at mckevittpatrickfuneralhome.com. Arrangements are entrusted to McKevitt-Patrick
Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Ironwood
longtime Ironwood resident, died Saturday, Nov. 6, 2010, in
Ironwood. The former Helen S. Ranta was born Oct. 10,
1915, in Wakefield, daughter of the late Victor and Hilma (Luoma) Ranta,
attended grade school in Erwin Township, Ironwood, and graduated from Luther L.
Wright High School in 1933. She then attended one year of college at Northern
State Teachers College in Marquette and taught school in Erwin Township for
three years. She married Matt E. Pumala on June 22, 1936,
in Ironwood. Together, they made their home and raised a family. Matt preceded
her in death on Sept. 4, 1986. Helen returned to college and graduated from
Northern Michigan University in 1964 as a licensed practical nurse. She then
worked at Grand View Hospital for 13 1/2 years, retiring in 1977. She was a charter member of Trinity Lutheran
Church in Ironwood, where she belonged to the Dorcas Guild. She enjoyed working
in her yard, and especially enjoyed spending time with her family and
grandchildren. Surviving are two sons, Bryan (Yvonne),
Ironwood, and Terry (Elsa Beth), Ironwood Township; ten grandchildren, Scott
(Rachel) Stenstrom, and Bret (Shelly) Stenstrom, both of Hibbing, Minn., Tod
(Jennifer) Stenstrom, Minneapolis, Minn., Jodi (Paul) Knutson, Maplewood, Minn.,
Brad and Eric Pumala, both of Ironwood, Lisa (Weston) Walowinski, Hurley, Wis.,
Laura (Mike) Maki, Gladstone, Jeremy (Eloisa) Pumala, Davenport, Iowa, and Maria
(Andrew) Wickman, Ashland, Wis.; 18 great-grandchildren, Matthew, Blake, Emily,
Molly, Mitchell, Ida, George, Megan, Thomas, Evan, Tahaner, Chandler, Dawson,
Isaac, Sonya, Andre, Daniel and Eli; a son-in-law, David Stenstrom, Hibbing; an
aunt, Ruth Latvala, Green Bay, Wis.; brothers-and-sister-in-law, Carl Pumala,
Arizona, Jack Pumala, Ann Arbor, Mich., and Martha Cirilli, Wisconsin; and
numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. Besides her parents and husband, Helen was
preceded in death by her daughter, Karen Stenstrom, in 2005. At the family's request, cremation has taken
place. A memorial service will be held Thursday, Nov.
11, at 11 a.m., at Trinity Lutheran Church in Ironwood, with the Rev. Wesley
"Bo" Baumeister officiating. Committal will take place at the church, with
luncheon to follow in the church fellowship hall. Interment will be in Riverside Cemetery,
Ironwood. Relatives and friends may call at the church
from 10 to 11 a.m. on Thursday. Memorials are preferred to the Trinity
Lutheran Church Memorial Fund, 5104 E. Margaret St., Ironwood, Mich.
49938. Helen's obituary may be viewed online, and
condolences given to her family, at mckevittpatrickfuneralhome.com. Arrangements are entrusted to McKevitt-Patrick
Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Ironwood