Toivo D. Hietala

November 30, 1932 - June 3, 2014

Toivo D. Hietala, 81 of Crystal Falls, passed away on Tuesday, June 3, 2014 at his home. He was born on November 30, 1932 in Poplar, Wisconsin, son of the late Emil and Helen (Neikkanen) Hietala. He Attended school in Maple, Wisconsin, and graduated from Northwestern High School. Upon graduating from high school, Toivo enlisted in the United States Army. After being honorably discharged he returned home. He married Joan Maki on October 20, 1956 at St. Mark's Lutheran Church in Waukegan, Illinois. Together they moved to Joan's Family farm near Deer Lake in 1972, and it has been home ever since. Toivo worked first as a meat cutter, then as a truck driver for Nash Rambler, then as a carpenter for Slivensky's, and finally and most recent he was the Janitorial Supervisor at the Forest Park Schools, retiring in 1986. Toivo was a faithful member of the Louis-Bowman Post #87 American Legion in Crystal Falls. He was known to be able to fix anything, and when he did he would step back and say; "Now that is some of Toivo's Ingenuity". He loved hunting and fishing, and paling around with his buddies in the woods and at the family camp. Toivo is survived by his loving wife of nearly 58 years, Joan Hietala of Crystal Falls; a son, Donald J. (Jennifer) Hietala of Hyland, Michigan; a daughter, Beth Hietala (John Murray) of Escanaba, MI; grandchildren, Eric, Lauren, Tony, Laura, and Ethan; sisters, Joyce (Bert) Bunnell, Linda Pearson, June Endres, Phyllis (Dale) Leinonen, Gail Richmond, Lorraine (Frank) Ruckovena, and Ethel Hoover; brother in-law, Gerald R. (Ellen) Maki near Denver, CO; further survived by many nieces and nephews. The visitation is set for Friday, June 6, 2014 from 9:00 am to 11:00 am at the Nash Funeral Home in Crystal falls. The funeral service will follow at 11:00 am at the funeral home. Pastor Doug Johnson will officiate. Burial will be in the Evergreen Memorial Cemetery. The Eastside Veterans Council will accord full Military Honors at the grave. In lieu of flowers a memorial will be established in his memory. Condolences may be expressed to the family of Toivo Hietala online atwww.nashfuneralhome.net The family has entrusted the Nash Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Crystal Falls with the funeral arrangements.