Earl Wesley Heikkila

It is with heavy hearts we announce the passing of Earl Wesley Heikkila, June 25, 2020 at the Silver Bay Veterans Home. His journey is over and he is coming home to Wright. Earl - better known as Wesley - was born December 9, 1932 in Duluth, Minnesota to Anton and Emelia Heikkila. Wesley and his twin sister, Evelyn, attended Prairie Lake School before moving with their parents to Wright, where his father ran Tony's Farm Service. The twins attended Wright Elementary and then Cromwell High School graduating in 1951. After high school Wesley attended Dunwoody Institute in Minneapolis for auto mechanics. While attending he enlisted in the United States Air Force, becoming engine chief and chief mechanic repairing the B-36 Peacemaker while stationed at Ramey Air Force Base in Puerto Rico, supporting the war effort in Korea. On January 9, 1954, Wesley married his high school sweetheart, Ann Mikkola, in Cromwell, Minnesota. After being honorably discharged from the US Air Force, Wesley returned to Wright to work with his father at Tony's Farm Service as a mechanic and running the family farm on Finn Road. A son, Calvin Earl, was born September 28, 1954. Two years later on February 19, 1956 a daughter, Susan Marie, was born. Wesley was a member of the Carl Anderson VFW Post 262 for 39 years. He was a lifetime member of DAV and a supporter of the Air Force Musuem located in Dayton, Ohio (on display is a B-36 plane the type Wesley worked on while in Puerto Rico). Wesley was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Ann; son, Calvin; daughter, Susan; grandchildren, Brandon, Christopher and Kari and six great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his twin sister, Evelyn Aho of Pueblo Colorado and numerous relatives, friends and acquaintances. He will be especially missed by his four-legged buddy, their Pomeranian, Keegan! The family would like to thank the staff and caregivers of the Silver Bay Veterans Home, for their outstanding care and attention in Wesley's final years and days! Visitation will be from 1:00 until the 2:00 p.m. Memorial Service, Wednesday, July 15, 2020 in Atkins-Northland Funeral Home, 801 14th Street, Cloquet. Masks and social distancing will be required while in the building. Cards and letters of condolence may be sent to the family c/o Atkins-Northland Funeral Home. Inurnment will be at the Prairie Lake Cemetery in the Heikkila plot with Wesley's parents, grandparents and uncles. To leave an online tribute, see www.atkinsnorthlandfuneralhome.com.