SERVICES: Visitation will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday at Faith United Lutheran Church in Iron. Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Monday at Faith United Lutheran Church with visitation one hour prior to the service. Arrangements are with the Range Funeral Home in Virginia.
Edwin John Takala, 91, farmer, agricultural teacher and humorist, passed away Thursday, Feb. 12, 2009, at his farm home in Iron. Ed was known for his wit, Finnish stamina (sisu) and lasting community contributions. Ed was born on May 13, 1917, to John and Hanna (Hakola) Takala. He attended a two-room school house and in 1934, graduating from Cherry High School. Ed continued his education at the Eveleth Junior College, completing his degree in Agricultural Education from the University of Minnesota in 1938.From 1938-1940 he served as vocational agricultural instructor at the Alango High School. He married Frances Stanich and they had a daughter, Mary. They were later divorced.
Ed served in World War II from 1943-1946 as United States Army Staff Sergeant in the 50th Armored Infantry, 6th Armored Division. He was awarded the Bronze Star, Combat Infantry Badge, Campaign Medal for Rhineland-Central Europe, and the Victory Medal in the European Theatre of Operations.
Upon his return from World War II, Ed resumed teaching as a vocational agricultural instructor in Embarrass from 1946-1970, reviving the Embarrass Community Fair which continues to this day.
Ed married county public health nurse Madeline Niemela in 1950. They raised four children — James, Sally, Matthew and Theodore.While teaching, he operated the home farm, assisting and encouraging his children in 4-H and FFA projects as well as church, sports and school activities.After the Embarrass school consolidated with Babbitt, he advocated for creation of ISD 710 (2142) which preserved the remaining county schools. After Embarrass closed, Ed taught at Cherry High School from 1970-1971, continuing as Veteran’s Agricultural Instructor until 1979, when he retired to his farm.He initiated the St. Louis Valley/Livestock Association and revived Cherry Area Fair adding a Rodeo which ran for over fifteen years.
Ed was active as an FFA adviser and 4-H leader, serving 25 years as the sheep barn superintendent at the St. Louis County Fair.He was a member of Faith United Lutheran Church and served on its council. Ed belonged to a number of organizations and often served as president. Some of these included VFW, Toastmasters International, Knights of Kaleva, Iron Range Historical Society, Iron Senior Citizens, NAFEC, ASC, FHA, and the Cherry Co-op Store. He was a member of the Arrowhead Development Committee and MEA Legislative Council.
Ed enjoyed writing as a hobby and self-published humorous limericks, as well as his autobiography which was also published in Finland. He compiled and edited the Clinton Township Anthology for its centennial celebration. Ed, then 75, also did a tandem sky dive for the event.
Survivors include children and spouses, Mary Nisenbaum of Oakland, Calif., James (Janette) Takala of Iron, Sally Takala (Bruce Boyce) of Waseca, Minn., Matthew (Connie) Takala of Pine City, Minn., Theodore Takala (Teresa Ries) of St. Cloud, Minn.; grandchildren, Samantha (Aaron) Polk II of Las Vegas, Nev., Benjamin and Adam Nisenbaum of Piedmont, Calif., Lindsay (Jake) Grass of Pine City, Minn., John Takala of Iron, Rudy Takala of Pine City, Minn., Bryan and Jay Takala Boyce of Waseca, Minn.; great-grandchildren, Aaron Polk III and Preston Polk; numerous nieces and nephews.
Edwin was preceded in death by his parents; siblings; Sylvia in child hood, Arthur Takala, Signe Peterson, William Takala and Mildred Carlson; wife, Madeline; an infant daughter; and son-in-law, Joel Nisenbaum; nephews, John Takala, Phillip Peterson, Arthur Peterson and Floyd Carlson.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Takala's
Ed Takala died last week.
Funeral is next Monday at 11AM at Faith United. Visitation is Sunday evening.
Funeral is next Monday at 11AM at Faith United. Visitation is Sunday evening.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Life at our place
It has been an interesting past couple of weeks. I've found a new hobby: CRAIGSLIST. No, I'm not even spending money, we are selling things!
I was on there the other day and saw that someone wanted a pygmy billy goat. The great part is I had 2 to sell. He came from south of Hinkley and bought one of them and I convinced him to buy a very pregnant pygmy nanny too. (I wasn't interested in crawling around delivering babies).
Then, I posted our chickens. Shawn was going to take them out back and eliminate them. They had quit earning their keep. If they can't lay enough eggs to pay for their food, we don't want them. He ordered new ones and I posted our older laying hens on Craiglist. Someone came from Mora and bought them.
Another lady had posted that she wanted a baby pygmy, angora, or fainting goat. I had a baby born on 12/27. She was sold yesterday.
Now, I have only 3 pygmys left to sell and am corresponding with people who may be interested. Hopefully they go soon. Then, I will be left with goats that are larger and tend to stay in the fence much better. I will be done with the raising of pygmy goats! Maybe all the lilacs, roses, apple trees, cedar trees, etc. will be able to grow if the goats aren't out eating them!
As I'm selling, Shawn is looking for things to buy. I'm not sure it is supposed to work that way :). He is looking for a boar and we are corresponding with someone and hoping to get one this week. We are keeping 3 of our sows and plan to raise our own little piglets for butchering. It would be so cute to have little piglets.
Shawn continues to not be feeling real well. He got a cold and hasn't been able to kick it very fast. I'm starting to get it, but hoping it doesn't hit me as hard as it has hit him. It made for a less productive week for him. He has a job lined up to be starting next Monday so hoping he is fully recovered by then.
We are down to 5 weeks to the due date. Starting next week, I will be going to Hibbing every week for an ultrasound and fetal monitoring and then doctor's visits once a week. Should be a lot of fun :) The doctor told me to plan on the trips to the hospital taking about one and half hours each week. At least I'll be comfortable with the maternity floor by the time the baby comes and will probably have met all the nurses. She is going to try and get the visits as late in the day as possible so I'm not taking a bunch of vacation time from work.
How are things going for everyone else? What is new?
I was on there the other day and saw that someone wanted a pygmy billy goat. The great part is I had 2 to sell. He came from south of Hinkley and bought one of them and I convinced him to buy a very pregnant pygmy nanny too. (I wasn't interested in crawling around delivering babies).
Then, I posted our chickens. Shawn was going to take them out back and eliminate them. They had quit earning their keep. If they can't lay enough eggs to pay for their food, we don't want them. He ordered new ones and I posted our older laying hens on Craiglist. Someone came from Mora and bought them.
Another lady had posted that she wanted a baby pygmy, angora, or fainting goat. I had a baby born on 12/27. She was sold yesterday.
Now, I have only 3 pygmys left to sell and am corresponding with people who may be interested. Hopefully they go soon. Then, I will be left with goats that are larger and tend to stay in the fence much better. I will be done with the raising of pygmy goats! Maybe all the lilacs, roses, apple trees, cedar trees, etc. will be able to grow if the goats aren't out eating them!
As I'm selling, Shawn is looking for things to buy. I'm not sure it is supposed to work that way :). He is looking for a boar and we are corresponding with someone and hoping to get one this week. We are keeping 3 of our sows and plan to raise our own little piglets for butchering. It would be so cute to have little piglets.
Shawn continues to not be feeling real well. He got a cold and hasn't been able to kick it very fast. I'm starting to get it, but hoping it doesn't hit me as hard as it has hit him. It made for a less productive week for him. He has a job lined up to be starting next Monday so hoping he is fully recovered by then.
We are down to 5 weeks to the due date. Starting next week, I will be going to Hibbing every week for an ultrasound and fetal monitoring and then doctor's visits once a week. Should be a lot of fun :) The doctor told me to plan on the trips to the hospital taking about one and half hours each week. At least I'll be comfortable with the maternity floor by the time the baby comes and will probably have met all the nurses. She is going to try and get the visits as late in the day as possible so I'm not taking a bunch of vacation time from work.
How are things going for everyone else? What is new?
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Welcome up north
Just wanted to invite everyone to come up and visit. Shawn has been busy, busy, busy.
He currently has ham and bacon in buckets in the fridge in the cure and next comes making a smoker and smoking them. We have fresh pork in the freezer :) Today he has been working on making venison hot sticks (more like loaves), summer sausage, and has pepperoni in the fridge for the night to finish up tomorrow.
Come on up and visit :)
He currently has ham and bacon in buckets in the fridge in the cure and next comes making a smoker and smoking them. We have fresh pork in the freezer :) Today he has been working on making venison hot sticks (more like loaves), summer sausage, and has pepperoni in the fridge for the night to finish up tomorrow.
Come on up and visit :)
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