Martti Laurikainen

In Loving Memory of Martti Olavi Laurikainen 1929-2016 While sitting in his favourite chair in the lakeside home he built with his own two hands, Martti Laurikainen died peacefully on Sunday, September 25th, 2016. Martti was born in Harlu, Finland on December 14th, 1929 in the former Karjala region of Finland. During the wars his family was forced to evacuate twice in the face of an invading Russian army. After the wars his large farming family relocated to Oravasaari near Jyväskylä. Martti came to Canada in 1957. While he only had a few coins in his pocket, he was thirsting for adventure. He was an all-around master of trades and immediately got a job as a miner in the Timmins area. He later found work as a lumberjack and log hauler. Martti’s early motto was that everything he owned had to fit in his car. Often wintering in Mexico, he lived a carefree life which took him to jobs in Elliot Lake, Chibougamau and Sault Ste. Marie. While in the Soo, he was instrumental in founding the Ontario Finnish Rest Home. Martti finally settled down in Sudbury in 1977. He met and married Maire after almost 50 years of bachelorhood. He and Maire made their home on Lake Ramsey and cultivated an extensive garden. In addition to a house, Martti built two saunas on the property – one for summer use, one for winter use. Always needing more storage space Martti became an expert at shed construction. What meant the most to Martti was spending time in the outdoors, whether that involved hunting or fishing or picking mushrooms and blueberries. While Martti had no children of his own, his step-children became his children and his step-grandchildren became his grandchildren. He introduced them all to the ways of the outdoorsman at his hunt camp in Gogama. Martti enriched the lives of many and will be greatly missed by his wife Maire, his step-children Tuire Walsh (Patrick), Virve Tremblay (Guy) and Hannu Piironen (Susan Bruce) and his numerous step-grandchildren and one step-great grandchild. Grieving his loss are many siblings in Finland: Pirkko Wigell, Kirsti Pitkanen, Esko Laurikainen, Hannu Laurikainen, Helmi Laurikainen and Erkki Laurikainen. Martti was predeceased by siblings Jaakko Laurkainen, Martta Lamberg, Yrjö Laurikainen, Sirkka Sivonen and Reino Laurikainen. His parents were Pekka and Hilja Laurikainen, both predeceased. There will be a Celebration of Martti’s Life at the Jackson & Barnard Funeral Home, 233 Larch Street, Sudbury (Friends and family may gather after 12:30 p.m. Saturday) Words of Remembrance in the R.J. Barnard Chapel on Saturday, October, 1st, 2016 at 2:00 p.m. As per his wishes Martti’s ashes will be interred in the family plot in Finland. In lieu of flowers donations to the Finlandia SISU Charitable Foundation would be greatly appreciated.