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As received from the Erickson Crowley Peterson Funeral Home:
Our mom, grandma and great grandma Joan passed away peacefully on May 18th, 2024. She was born on November 26th, 1942, in Hancock to Byrnolf Olson and Olga Heitala Olson. She had two older brothers, John Olson and Carl Olson both deceased. She and her family were members of the Franklin Street Apostolic Lutheran Church now Zion Lutheran Church.
She attended Hancock Public School graduating in 1960. Joan was an accomplished flutist performing throughout High School including special performances at the Interlochen Center for the Arts. She was also an accomplished seamstress by the age of 19 when she made her own Wedding dress.
In 1961 she met and married Arthur A. Lasanen and moved out to Big Traverse Bay. They enjoyed many happy hours together with friends water skiing, participating in water ski shows around the area. Art and Joan were married in the Laurium Apostolic Lutheran Church now Laurium Shining Light Church and remained lifelong members. They were married for 57 years until Art died in 2019. Art used to say, “Joan has been teaching Art in Big Traverse for 50 years!”
My mom, Joan, was a one of a kind. She was a super mom. She sewed all our clothes. Everything from swimsuits to snowsuits, many wedding dresses and even purses. We spent many an hour looking through the pattern books and shopping for fabric. She made us all quilts. Everyone has their own Grandma Joan quilt to this day. She knitted hats, mittens, scarves and sweaters. She always had a project going refinishing furniture, redecorating the house, redoing the lawn, painting both the inside and the outside of the house on her own. She enjoyed basket weaving, and painting pictures.
She was a very outdoors type of person in all seasons. Imagine keeping a garden with herbs, vegetables and flowers including her favorite, roses, in Big Traverse! She taught us biking, swimming, skiing, how to row the boat, how to launch the boat, how to drive the boat how to back a trailer and driving the car. We learned everything about making a bonfire, lighting the stove – we had four wood stoves, and heating the sauna. Ok our dad taught us chopping wood, shooting and whittling with a pocketknife. We went on numerous outings and picnics in all seasons with the boat, the snowmobile and even on bikes. She was great fun. She even taught several of the grandkids how to ride a two wheeled bike.
One of our favorite days was Sunday. We loved Sunday School. She was our Sunday School teacher. She made it fun. She learned to play the organ after she was married when the church needed another organist. She later learned to play the piano and greatly influenced all of us to appreciate classical sacred music. We were constantly trying out new songs at home. The best was getting ready for the Easter and Christmas programs. She was the first person who taught us about the church year and special days by always looking for the right music to fit the occasion. She always said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved”. Years later, I looked it up, it comes from Acts 16:31. She was always happy on Sundays and we got to dress up!
She was a fantastic cook. She cooked everything my dad brought home, fish, rabbit, partridge, venison and bear. She made her own pickled herring and a fabulous fish chowder that I have only ever found again when I traveled to Helsinki. She used to hunt and trap together with my dad and help him skin beaver and stretch the hides (We did not eat the beaver. My dad gave them to the coyotes!). Every spring they bought something with the beaver money. One year it was a set of China which we all still refer to as the Beaver dishes. We learned everything about homemaking and preserving food from her. She loved berry picking. She was an extraordinary pie baker. She made the best Danish rolls, a specialty from her mom.
She was a bookkeeper, my dad’s back office support system and feet on the ground girl. We spent hours picking up supplies for my dad’s dock building effort and parts for the boat engine. My dad taught her how to seam nets. We all learned this. She spent hours together with him seaming nets in our basement and in the net house when the working guys were off.
She loved photography especially photographing the nature all around us. She caught some of the most impressive Ice and Storm photos from Lake Superior. She many times wrote poetry to accompany the photos. She made cards for years.
We miss her greatly, though we are thankful for her peaceful passing into eternity.
Family members passed: Husband Art Lasanen 2019, daughter Pauline Easterling 2020, grandson Lucas Easterling 2018, grandson Jantzen Sunnarborg 2022 and Son-in-law Wayne Harjala 1995.
Family members surviving: Daughter Jana Sunnarborg, granddaughter Mackenzie Sunnarborg and grandson Christian Sunnarborg. Son-in-law Ross Easterling. Granddaughter Kendra Kotila married to Tomas with Danger and Talan. Grandson Seth Harjala married to Brenda with Milo and Revel. Grandson Garrett Easterling married to Clair with Ronan and their new little one on the way. Numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.
The funeral will be on Thursday, June 6th 11:00am at the Laurium Shining Light Church.
The visitation will be at the church starting at 10:00am before the funeral.
Luncheon will be served at the Siskiwit Hall.
