Richard D."Dick" Salonen, 68, of 121 W. Gogebic St., Ironwood, died Monday, April 23, 2007, in Ironwood, following a ten-year battle with ALS. He was born Dec. 5, 1938, in Bessemer, son of Tyyne (Niemi) and the late Reino Salonen, attended Harding School, and graduated from A.D. Johnston High School in 1956. Following graduation, he joined the United States Air Force, serving four years at airbases in California and Minnesota. Dick worked as a buyer for Control Data/General Dynamics in Minneapolis for 36 years, retiring in 1998. He married Alicia Burnside and returned to Ironwood in Aug. 2006. He was a member of the Richfield, Minn. American Legion Post. He loved to hunt deer and birds with his dogs Touch, a Golden Retriever, and later Blaze, A Black Lab, with friends, Joe, Big T, Bob, Ken, and so many others.He missed those days when he lost his mobility because of ALS. Dick was a man who gave of himself everyday of his life and never asked anything in return. He will be sadly missed by his family and friends. Surviving are his wife, Alicia, Ironwood; two sons, David (Beth), Prior Lake, Minn., and Garrett, Minneapolis; grandchildren, Sanna, Noah, and Chloe; his mother, Tyyne Salonen, Bessemer Township; a step-son, Wade, Ironwood, and three step-daughters, Christina and his "Little Miss America", LeeAnna, both of Ironwood, and Danielle, Detroit Lakes, Minn.; a brother, Arne (Vicky), Bessemer; three sisters, Margaret Johnson (Ken Salkonen), Roscommon, Mich., Dorothy Pakonen (Marvin Tassava), Ironwood Township; and Hazel Rouker, Wyoming, Mich.; aunts, Josephine Jansson, Bessemer Township, and Julia Abramson, Ironwood Township; uncles, Wilbert Niemi, Ironwood, Kaarlo (Laura) Niemi, Ironwood Township, and Walter (Lillian) Salonen, Iron River, Mich.; the family of Wayne Salonen, Susan and Robert; and dozens of nieces, nephews, and cousins. Besides his father, Dick was preceded in death by a brother, John, in infancy; grandparents, Andrew and Johanna Niemi and John and Sanna Salonen; his step-father, Oscar Buskanen; and an uncle, Wayne Salonen. Private visitation was held Tuesday, April 24, at 3 p.m., at the McKevitt-Patrick Funeral Home in Ironwood for immediate family members. Memorial services will be held Friday, May 4, at 11 a.m., at Sharon Lutheran Church in Bessemer, with the Rev. Gerald A. Anderson, officiating. A flag presentation ceremony will be accorded by representatives of the Ironwood American Legion Post 5 Honor Guard. Luncheon will follow in the church fellowship hall. Dick's cremated remains will be laid to rest in the family lot at Hillcrest Cemetery, Bessemer. Relatives and friends may call at the church beginning at 10 a.m. on Friday, May 4. Online condolences may be expressed to the family of Dick Salonen at mckevittpatrickfuneralhome.com. Arrangements are with McKevitt-Patrick and Engstrom Funeral and Cremation Services of Ironwood and Hurley