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Traprock Valley
Audrey Virginia (Maki) Harjala, 76, a resident of Traprock Valley passed away with her family by her side on Friday January 4, 2019 at the Houghton County Medical Care Facility in Hancock and is now gone home to be with her Lord.
She was born on November 26, 1942 in Hancock a daughter to the late Toivo Anslum Maki and Jeanette Virginia (Walitalo), she was the oldest of six girls.
Audrey graduated from Hancock High School in 1960 and attended Suomi College for a short time. Following school she worked at Superior National Bank, then moved to Detroit for a short while before returning back to Hancock and worked for her father who owned Maki Oil Co. in Ripley. After his death she pretty much ran the company for many years. Later she worked at Siirtola Well Drilling in Dollar Bay until her retirement.
She married Gerald Arthur Harjala on June 20, 1970 in Hancock at the Franklin Street Apostolic Lutheran Church.
Preceding her in death by her parents and a sister Anita Walrath.
She was a loving wife of Gerald for 48 years.
She was the mother of three sons: Greg Harjala of Findlay,Ohio and the mother of his 3 children Maria, Eric (Jenna) Harjala of Tamarack City and Kurt (Amy) Harjala of Johannesburg, MI
Grandmother to nine grandchildren: Isabella, Landon, Abigail, Billy, Micah, Caleb, Eli, Ben and Abraham.
Sister to: Mariane (Herb) Boxer, Christine (Jerry) Lukach, Joyce (Jim) Tapani, Jane (John) Bowen
Brother in law Dick Walrath and numerous, nieces, nephews and cousins survive.
Visitation will be held at the Zion Lutheran Church in Hancock on Friday
January 11th from 3-4:00 PM.
A memorial service will be held on Friday January 11, 2019 at 4:00 PM at the Zion Lutheran Church in Hancock with Pastor Jesse Aho to officiate.
Burial will be in the Maple Hill Cemetery in Lake Linden.
The Erickson Crowley Peterson Funeral Home in Calumet is assisting the family with the arrangements. Online condolences can be left for the family at www.ericksoncrowleypeterson.com
In lieu of other expressions of sympathy memorials may be given to Zion Lutheran Church or Camp Lahti 400 Ingot Street Hancock, MI 49930
