Isacki (Ike) YliniemiGirl Yliniemi
B/D: 10/23/25 Hilda Marie Yliniemi B/D: 9/2/26 Andrew Yliniemi B/D: 9/16/27 Roy Henry Yliniemi Ponsford, MN B: 3/24/29 Married: 9/16/60 to Hazel Mary Mickelson from Rolla, ND Helen Sylvia Yliniemi Laine Detroit Lakes, MN B: 7/25/32. Married: 6/1/52 to Arthur A. Laine of Osage, MN Elmer Howard Yliniemi Frazee, MN B: 9/25/36. Married 6/13/70 to Miriam Elizabeth Suomala of Wolf Lake, MN James Edward Yliniemi Frazee, MN B: 11/10/37. Married 1/14/61 to Marie Taskey of Park Rapids, MN Divorced 1977 Hazel Alice Yliniemi Fargo, ND B: 1/30/41 Hulda Esther Frances Yliniemi Sannes Frazee, MN. B: 7/24/42. Married: 6/20/64 to Bruce M. Sannes of Moorhead, MN Patricia Ann Sharon Yliniemi Ervasti Bertha, MN. B: 12/29/51. Married: 4/11/70 to Arlan A Ervasti from Menahga, MN . . | Isacki (Ike) was born on July 24, 1892 in French Lake, MN. He died October 8, 1970 in New York Mills Elder's Home in New York Mills, MN. He was married on October 30, 1924 to Aili Maria Haanpaa born on May 1, 1907 in Helsinki, Finland. Aili died June 25, 1983 in Pamona, CA.
Ike served for the US Army during WWI from May 2, 1918 to June 21, 1919. He went overseas to France and then to the Black Forest area of Germany as part of the army occupation. His discharge papers read that he was born in "Fried" County, MN. With his accent that is what the captain heard, but what Ike said was "Wright" County. Ike and Aili lived on the "Johnson" place in back of Grandpa Yliniemi's, as did many other couples and singles over the years. Their farm was in Toad Lake Township 1/2 mile from the Yliniemi homestead. They lived there until 1964 when they moved to Menahga. Their son Elmer and his family currently live on Aili and Ike's original farmstead. A letter dated Nov 10, 1933 from the VA refers to Ike's illness as amniothrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as "Lou Gehrig's disease". In the early 1950s a cyst was discovered in his spinal column. Surgery was an option with 50% chance of permanent paralysis but was not pursued. Ike recalled falling down part of a mountain in France, and he considered this to be the cause of his problem. During the time of his illness Ike's pastimes consisted of visiting his brothers, sister, neighbors and friends with his young children. His children enjoyed catching him as he was leaving and jumping into the car when they heard it start. He took care of the chickens and the garden, teaching his children the proper way to hoe potatoes and care for the plants. He loved fish and went fishing whenever he could. He read what he could find in the Finnish language as well as the Bible. P.S.: His daughter Hulda doubts the VA diagnosis, because although his illness was progressive the degeneration was very slow. It started when he was injured in the war and did not come to its finish until his death in 1970. Hopefully Ike's granddaughter Tali will be able to shed some light on the matter when she finishes medical school. Verniel Yliniemi Latto writes about Uncle Ike: Uncle Ike and I shared the same birth date. July 26th, and there were many of my birthdays when a car would come into the yard, sometimes without his daughters, (who were my age.) He would come to celebrate our birthdays. We didn't have a celebration, he would visit with the folks, but he always acknowledged that it was our mutual birthday. Later he learned that the records showed that his birthday was actually July 24th, not July 26th. I don't know that I thought about those visits as much then, as I do now. |