Obituary: Victor Watia

As received from the O’Neill-Dennis Funeral Home:

Chassell: Victor Watia passed away from heart related issues on Saturday, June 29, 2024 after a short stay at UP Health System in Marquette.

Victor, the son of Oiva and Mildred Watia, was born in Detroit, Michigan, on October 23, 1943, the fifth of nine children. He was raised in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, where his family relocated shortly after his birth.

Following graduation from Hancock High School in 1961 he attended Suomi College and Northern Michigan University, where he met his future wife Carol Ann Zilinskas.

In 1965, he was drafted by the U. S. Army and spent 13 months stationed in South Korea, where he became editor of the Seventh Division Bayonet newspaper and received training at Stars and Stripes newspaper in Tokyo.

After Vic’s honorable discharge from the army in 1967 he joined the Economist Newspaper in Chicago as a reporter. Two years later, he was hired by UPI where he spent 22 years with the wire service. As editor, Vic served in Illinois, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

In 1970, his story, “Jewish Father, Nazi Son” appeared in the publication UPI Annual Selections. The annual publication of select stories and photographs was compiled to represent the best work available from UPI’s worldwide wires. Many college journalism schools used it as a teaching tool for quality writing and photography. Vic was again chosen to appear in UPI Selections in 1975 for the story, “ A Lie I Would Rather Believe,” a moving account of a hospital visit with his invalid grandfather.

He was a well-known outdoor writer whose weekly columns appeared in newspapers throughout the United States, including the Chicago Sun-Times and Chicago Tribune.

Vic wrote the fictional book “Sisu” depicting a quest for an illusive buck in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. His most recent book “Polly Pollinator Saves Giant Flowers” is dedicated to his daughters Kendra and Nicole, the angel he lost before her 13th birthday. He developed the idea for this children’s book while creating clay sculptures of endangered species and using them as characters in the book.

Vic was a kind, generous, and loving husband, father, and friend and was known for his incredible wit and sense of humor.

He is survived by his daughter, Kendra Watia, Chassel, MI, his brothers, Tarmo, Boise, ID, Orvo (Diana), Freeland, MI, Tauno (Lily), Meridian, ID, Eero, Chassel, “adopted brother”, David Puska, Hancock, and sisters, Karin Camp, Boise, ID, Dr. Kristine Baker (John), Traverse City, MI, Karla Hardy (Greg), Skandia, MI, and several nieces and nephews.

Vic was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Carol and daughter Nicole, and his brother Justus.

The O’Neill-Dennis Funeral Home is assisting the family where memories may be shared at www.oneilldennisfh.com. A private memorial service will be held at a later date.