Eila Ellen Martin (nee Sammalisto) passed away peacefully on Thursday, Aug. 11, 2016 at the Riverside health care facility in Emo, Ont.
Eila was born in Tarmola, Ont., near Thunder Bay, on May 4, 1924. There she attended the SS #3 Gorham School.
In later years, her family moved to Intola, a Finnish community on Dawson Road.
In 1952, she married John Martin and they raised their family on their Townline Road home. When her parents died, Eila and her family moved back to Dawson Road in Intola.
Much later in life, she and John moved to the city of Thunder Bay, where he was on dialysis. When he passed away, she moved to Emo in 1998 to be with her daughter.
Eila was very energetic and a hard worker. Her home always had a pleasant fragrance of fresh coffee breads and other Finnish baking.
In her younger days, she worked in the kitchen at many bush camps, had her own mail route, worked in a bakery, served in restaurants, and was a house cleaner.
She and her husband often danced at the Moose Hall and had a love for music. She also enjoyed the outdoors, and had a green thumb for gardening and especially loved flowers. Many will remember her African violets, which bloomed all year round.
Eila was good at sewing, knitting, quilting, and many other crafts. She also was an active participant in the Normac seniors’ group of McIntyre Township.
As well, she enjoyed cutting and piling firewood, blueberry picking. and fishing. Her cats were her pride and joy, and she had compassion for all animals.
Eila was predeceased by her husband, John; her parents; and four brothers and one sister.
She is survived by her daughter, Karen (Philip) Whatley; son, Randy (Lynn) Martin; stepson, Johnny (Pat) Martin; six grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren; sister, Lempi Holopainen; and nieces and nephews.
At her request there will be no public memorial.
If desired, in memoriam donations may be made to the Dialysis Unit at the Thunder Bay Regional Hospital c/o Northridge Funeral Home, P.O. Box 89, Emo, Ont., P0W 1E0.
Online condolences may be offered at www.northridgefuneralhome.com
EILA ELLEN MARTIN
