Hilda Helen Polso, 97, of
Kimball, died peacefully Thursday, March 21, 2013, in Hurley, surrounded by her
loving family. The former Hilda Lake was born Sept. 15, 1915,
in Ironwood, Mich., daughter of the late Edward and Susanna (Rajamaki) Lake,
attended Section 33 Grade School in Ironwood Township, and received her high
school diploma later. She attended college classes majoring in bookkeeping and
accounting. She also had three years of extra training where she learned of
nuclear emergencies, office machines and pattern making. In 1971 she received a
certificate of graduation from Palmers Writers School for fiction writing. In
1984 she attended classes and was awarded a diploma for business
computing. Hilda was Kimball town treasurer for many
years and was employed at the North Hurley Credit Union for 25 years, retiring
in 1987. She was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church in Hurley and its
Council of Catholic Women, Kimball Homemakers, and the National Finnish
American Chorus. She worked in the gift shop at Little Finland and was a
volunteer at the Hurley Senior Center. She retired after over 30 years of
volunteer service from the Senior Volunteer program, Senior Corps and the
American Heart Association. She also made baby hats and nightgowns, preemie
blankets and quilts for newborns and AIDS babies, and gowns and bandages for the
leper colony, and was the first one to do hospice training in the
area. Hilda was married to Rudolph Kovales in Au gust
1933. They later divorced. She then was marrried to Anselm "Andy" Polso,
her childhood sweetheart, on Oct. 10, 1954, at St. Paul Lutheran Church in
Ironwood by the late Rev. Arnold Stadius. Andy preceded her in death on May 29,
1988. Hilda was written up in the area for caring for Andy at home prior to his death. Surviving are a son, Ryan (Joanne) Kovales,
Ironwood; two daughters, Virginia (William) Heikkila, Globe, Ariz., and Gail
Kniska, Kimball; grandchildren, Kathy Cotton and Steve (Julie) Kovales, both of
Coldwater, Mich., Renee Kovales, North Carolina, Luke Kovales, Washburn, Wis.,
Alan (Jodie) Kovales, Montreal, and Paul Semo (Dana Kangas), Rhinelander;
great-grandchildren, Mike and Matt Cotton and Christopher and Autumn Kovales,
all of Coldwater , Ben and Emma Froemel, Hayward, Alexius Semo, Superior, and
Trinity Anderson, Hurley; six great-great-grandchildren; numerous step
grandchildren, step great-grandchildren and step great-great-grandchildren; two sisters,
Judy Lake, Ironwood, and Faye Shawbitz, Waukesha ; a daughter-in-law, Lorraine
Kovales, Coldwater; son-in-law, Ernest Witek, Waukesha; numerous nieces and
nephews; and very special friend, Sophie Korhonen, of Bessemer,
Mich. Besides her parents and husband, Hilda was
preceded in death by a son, Rudolph "Johnnie" Kovales, and daughter, Mavis
Witek, both in 2008; grandson, David Heikkila; brothers, Eino, Edwin and Eugene
Lake; sisters, Helmi Nylund, Helen Waltonen and Helena Kasky; and
brother-in-law, Michael Shawbitz. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated
Tuesday, March 26, at 2 p.m., preceded by visitation at 1 p.m., at St. Mary's
Church in Hurley, with the Rev. Frank Kordek OFM, celebrant. Luncheon will follow in the parish
hall. Rite of Committal and interment will be in
Riverside Cemetery, Ironwood, later this spring. Pallbearers will be G ary Ryskewecz, Paul and John Semo , Wayne Korhonen, Michael Witek and Steve Kovales. Arrangements have been entrusted to
McKevitt-Patrick Funeral Home, Inc., Ironwood, where condolences may be given
online at mckevittpatrickfuneralhome.com. Ryan and Joanne would like to thank the staff
at Villa Maria Health and Rehabilitation Center for all their loving care of
Hilda over the past few years. Special thanks to Jen for all her help these past
few days.