Aileen Edna Makela

Aileen Edna Makela, 85, of Elmer went to be with her Lord and rejoin the love of her life on November 30, following a brief battle with pancreatic cancer. Aileen was born June 23, 1928, to Hulda & Matt Mattson of Wawina, Minnesota. She attended school in Warba and graduated from Grand Rapids. After graduation, she was employed by Ylitalos Store in Floodwood. On May 29, 1948, she married Edwin Makela, and they made their home in Elmer, Minnesota. She worked on their farm and was a devoted homemaker and mother. In 1968, Aileen became employed by Schneiderman's Furniture as a housekeeper and continued to work until her retirement in 2005. Aileen was an active member of First Lutheran Church in Meadowlands, serving wherever she was needed. She was also a member of the Meadowlands Golden Age Group (where she was top seller for all fundraising raffles), Toivola-Meadowlands Development Board, Western Fraternal; and she was the Elmer correspondent for The Forum until three weeks prior to her passing. Her greatest joys in life were her family and doing things for others. Her last wish was that all of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren would know the Lord as she did and that the faith journey of each of her loved ones would lead them to the strength that she found in her relationship with the Lord. Aileen was preceded in death by her husband in 2006 and her sister, Esther Heikkila. She is survived by children, Judy (Mike) Simons of Sparks, NV, Allan Makela and June (Clyde) Morse of Meadowlands, Debbie (Brent) Donaldson of Barnum, and Donna (David) Hill of Meadowlands; grandchildren, Andrew (Meg) Simons, Krystle (Matt) Dodd, Joe and Samantha Makela, Scott (Melissa) & Derek (Nicole) Morse, Stacy (Jay) Stevens, Brent (Emily) Donaldson Tracy, Morgan Donaldson, Justin (Colleen), Jordan & Kamryn Hill; great-grandchildren, Zachary, Tyler, Madelyn, Jacob & Parker Morse, Abbygayle Almer, Grant Stevens and Harmony, Brennan & Oliver Tracy; sisters, Bertha Wayne of Hill City, Helen Allen of Chisholm, Lillian Sebald of Sheboygan, WI; brother-in-law, Tauno Heikkila of Cromwell; and numerous nieces & nephews. The family wishes to thank Essentia Health - St. Mary's East Range Hospice Team and other community angels who provided assistance to Aileen & her family. Memorial services were held Saturday, Dec. 7 in First Lutheran Church, Meadowlands, with fellowship following at Meadowlands Community Center. Inurnment was in Rosehill Cemetery in Elmer.