Elsa Annikki Alajoki

Elsa Annikki Alajoki, age 81, was born to Alexander and Iida (Mattikainen) Heilimo on October 24, 1932 in Viipuri, Finland. She was called to her heavenly home on April 27, 2014 at her home in rural Menahga, Minnesota. Elsa spent her early childhood in Viipuri until her family was forced to flee the Russian invasion of Eastern Finland. During the Finnish Winter War, Elsa was separated from her parents due to her evacuation to Gotland Island, Sweden from 1941 thru 1946. In 1953, Elsa and her family immigrated to Toronto, Canada. Elsa's childhood dream of becoming an American Citizen was realized in 1968 in Los Angeles, California. Elsa moved to Lake Worth, Florida in 1969 where she met her husband to be Ruben Alajoki. They married on May 1, 1970. To this union she was blessed with three children; Roger, Margaret, and Philip. Elsa spent the rest of her life as a farm wife and homemaker on the family farm in rural Menahga. Elsa was preceded in death by her husband of 42 years Ruben, her parents, and granddaughter Jessica Alajoki. She is survived by her children, Roger and his wife Lori of Menahga, MN, Margaret Kariniemi and her husband Philip of Corcoran, MN, and Philip and his wife Kari of Menahga, MN. Siblings Alex Hale and his wife Kate of La Quinta, California, Bill Heilimo of Grand Forks, British Columbia, Canada, Lisa Rasku and her husband Bill of Worchester, Massachusetts, Eva Heilimo of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and Marty Heilimo and his wife Lilia Marja of Joensuu, Finland, 19 grandchildren, and a host of brothers and sisters in faith. Funeral Services will be held 11:00 AM Saturday, May 3, 2014 at Wolf Lake Laestadian Lutheran Church with Pastor Darwin Lake officiating. Visitation will be two hours prior to the service at the church. Ben Huhta will serve as organist. Active Casketbearers will be Roger Alajoki Philip Alajoki Tom Vilkama, Philip Kariniemi, Stuart Alajoki and Brendan Kariniemi. Interment will be at Alajoki Cemetery, Blueberry Township, Wadena County.