It is with great sadness that the family of Raili Rachel Dodd (nee Johnson) announces her passing on Sunday, March 23, 2025, at La Verendrye hospital in Fort Frances.
Raili was born in Emo, Ont., on September 6, 1949, to Taisto and Verna Johnson. She grew up in Finland, Ont., until she was 15 years old when the family moved to Fort Frances.
She is survived by her husband Howard Dodd; daughter Carrie Holden (Gerry Dolph); grandson Theron (Sarah); great-grandson Jaxon; step-grandchildren Blake and his son Niigaan, Courtney and her daughter Olivia; her sisters Linda Ross and Myra (Dan) Mainville; brothers Harold Johnson, Arnold (Kathy) Johnson, Harvey (Joan) Johnson; sisters in-law Helen Dodd and Maxine Dodd; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Raili was predeceased by her sister Laura McGill; brother Wayne Johnson; brothers in-law Peter Ross, Harold Dodd and Harvey Dodd; and nephew Daniel McIvor.
Raili married her first husband Wayne (Buck) Holden in 1966, and moved to Nestor Falls where she worked at the family’s camp on Cameron Lake. They had their daughter Carrie Ann who was her pride and joy, Raili cherished being a mother and had a soft spot in her heart for children in general and would babysit whenever she had the chance. The love that she had for her daughter did not compare to the love she had for her grandson Theron and her great-grandson Jaxon, (well he took the cake) nobody compares to him. She was a very sweet and generous person and had sponsored children through World Vision. She also adored her dogs they were wonderful little fur babies and she spoiled them completely. Raili had a great sense of humour and had a gleam in her eye when she teased her friends or family and was known to play a prank or two when she had the opportunity. She worked as a cook at various camps and restaurants in Nestor Falls and Fort Frances.
In the summer of 1986, Raili met her future husband Howard Dodd and they were married in May, 1987, in Kentland, Indiana, where his parents lived. They lived in West Lafayette, Indiana, for eight years until Howard retired from the police department and then moved back to Nestor Falls to be closer to her family. She didn’t want to be away from her grandson any longer than she had to. Raili spent a lot of time with her grandson, babysitting him and having him for sleepovers, went to many of his hockey games/tournaments, many birthdays and every Christmas eve and Christmas day was spent with her daughter and grandson.
When Raili finally retired, she still liked to cook/bake and would often give her pies or cookies away to family and friends. She also liked to go fishing with Howard and Carrie in the summer and the bet was on as soon as they got in the boat, who was bringing in the first fish, the biggest and the most and it was either herself or Carrie that would win, but of course they always had Howard too busy baiting lines and running the boat that he didn’t have much time to fish himself.
A visitation will be held for Raili on Saturday, April 5, 2025, at Northridge Funeral Home in Emo, Ont., from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. for friends and family.
A private interment will be at a later date.
Arrangements entrusted to Northridge Funeral Home Ltd., Emo, Ontario.
