Wiljo Ojala Obituary (1914

Wiljo Edwin Ojala died December 22, 2012, at Cottage in the Meadow Hospice Home in Yakima, WA. He was born March 6, 1914, in Quincy, Massachusetts to Wilfred J. and Saima (Peltokangas) Ojala. Wiljo was known to most people as Bill. On March 14, 1941, Bill married Vivian Forsman in Seattle. Before moving to Tieton, Bill and Vivian lived in Seattle where he worked for Boeing Co. as a tool and die maker. During WWII he made an important engineering suggestion to change the metal alloy used in bomber gears. Bill was an expert machinist as a result of his technical training and work at Boeing. He was an apple orchardist and warehouse owner in Tieton, Washington. After retiring Bill and Vivian lived near Gleed overlooking the Naches River. Bill loved outdoor recreation and he often went fishing and camping along the rivers and lakes throughout the Cascade Mountains. He enjoyed many happy days with family and friends in the mountains as well as at beaches along the Pacific Ocean. Bill and Vivian delighted in purchasing an RV and used it to travel throughout the western US and Canada. They were also avid participants in the Tramper Camper Club of Yakima, where they had many friends and enjoyed many outings. All his life he loved making things, whether it was the design and fabrication of his own warehouse and apple production line, or, later, through his extensive wood-working projects. Bill spoke Finnish fluently and loved everything about Finnish culture including saunas, dancing, food, and Finnish folk music which he often played on his accordion. He was an accomplished player of keyboards too. Bill loved being outdoors, whether camping, fishing or in his orchard with his trees. He loved his daughters very much and spent happy days with them. He also spent many summers with his beloved nephew Don Forsman, with the two of them working together in the orchard from early morning, then fishing in the afternoon along the Naches River. Bill's last years were spent at Chesterley Meadows Retirement Center. Bill will be missed by his family and friends but all of us rejoice in his long and well-lived life. He always said his family is the best part of his life. Surviving family includes Bills daughters Laraine Wilton (and husband Don) of Yakima, and Sandra Satterlee (and husband James) of Pullman; and grandchildren: Eric Preston and Erika, Lara Baker and John, Siri Stiles and Jason, and Ashton Satterlee and Timothy; step-grandchildren Brad and Brian Wilton; and great grandchildren Mackenzie, Taylor and Natalia Baker, Hunter Stiles, and Dane Preston. Bill was preceded in death by his wife Vivian in 2010, and by his siblings Arvo Ojala of Greshan, OR, and Ingrid Pihlman of Ketchikan, AK. Memorial Donations are suggested to Cottage in the Meadow Hospice Home in Yakima. A Graveside inurnment is planned for January 2, 2012, at Terrace Heights Memorial Park, at 11 a.m. A Celebration of Life will be held on April 27, 2013, at Noon at Shaw & Sons Funeral Directors.