Joseph (Joe) YliniemiVerniel Ida Yliniemi Latto
B: 7/26/40 Married: 1/14/61 to Robert Latto(8/8/39) from Osage, MN Step Children Elsie Esther Longfors B: 5/8/25 D: 7/7/65 Violet Mary Longfors Yliniemi Ponsford, MN B: ? Married: 10/4/47 to Ervin Isaac Yliniemi from Osage, MN Mildred Mabel Longfors Gray Seattle, WA B: 1/1/29 D: 3/10/98. Married: 5/20/50 to Joe Gray until his death 5/3/74. Helen Selma Longfors Coats B: 9/25/30. Married 12/18/54 to Durwood Coats in Seattle, WA Lila Evelyn Longfors Yliniemi Detroit Lakes, MN B: 2/5/32. Married 6/6/53 to Adolph Yliniemi of Osage, MN . . | Joe was born on April 4, 1889 in French Lake, MN. He died October 17, 1963 in Menahga, MN. He was married on May 22, 1940 to Ida Kinnunen Longfors born on November 13, 1899. D: 2/25/86
Joe was born at French Lake, near Annandale, MN. While still quite young the family moved to the Toad Lake area where he grew up. On September 6th, 1918 Joe went into the army, serving at Camp Dodge, Iowa. Just as he was to be shipped overseas, WWI ended. On Nov 20, 1918, he was discharged, three months after being enlisted. On his return home, he was walking home at night by the Jacob Erkkila farm when he saw a black animal coming toward him. At first he thought it was a bear, but to his surprise it was the family dog welcoming him home. His mother said that the dog had been pacing back and forth the day Joe came home, evidently sensing his coming. Joe was a farmer, but also worked as a lumberjack in the Toad Lake area and the state of Oregon. Joe and Olaf Salmonson bought themselves a threshing machine for the area farmers. Some years later a neighbor bought that same machine. Joe was elected to be chief advisor and mechanic when anything went wrong. Joe married Ida later in life. Ida had five children from her first marriage, thus he acquired himself a ready made family. At the same time he purchased a farm near Menahga, MN where they moved. Richard Yliniemi now owns and lives on that farm. At the age of 50 Joe added a daughter of his own to the family. He would also have had a son except for a miscarriage. Father and daughter were close. Verniel was like his shadow. Where father was, there she was also, whether it was doing farm chores, fishing, repairing machinery or visiting. Joe was a quiet, easy going person. He believed strongly in treating people fairly and doing right by them, no matter what others thought. Very rarely did he speak negatively about anyone. One time the threshing crew was at a house where the wife was not a good housekeeper. At noon, as was the custom, the threshing crew was invited to dinner. Some were hesitant about eating there. When Joe got wind of what was going on, he said, "The lady of the house has taken the time to prepare a meal and we are going to eat.", and in he went. Little by little the others followed. Inside, the lady had cleaned the kitchen and cooked a nice meal. Joe did not like fighting. At Toad Lake there were a couple of men fighting. Joe, being a husky fellow at the time, took the men, one under each arm and dunked them both into the lake. Being 6'4", discipline wasn't much of a problem. His height alone was authority. His method of discipline was to get your own switches. This many times was enough. His opinion was that when you strike with your hand you jar the body which can injure children internally. The switch only hurts the skin. One time during the winter when Joe and Ida were in the barn, the sisters were supposed to get the dishes done by the time they came in. Normally Ida came in first. This time Joe came in first and found the dishes weren't done and the girls were playing. Knowing they were in trouble they ran outside with bare feet. Joe chuckled saying , "They won't be out there long!" as he lay on the couch to wait. Every little while a chuckle would escape and soon the girls were in the porch. The porch floor wasn't very warm either so they decided to make a dash for the upstairs. As they did another chuckle was heard. Then he told them to come down to do the dishes. Later in life Joe developed diabetes and had a stroke. The Lord took him home on October 17, 1963. He left behind many people who were touched by his life and example. I'm proud to have had him as my father.....Verniel -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pat Yliniemi Ervasti Bertha Minnesota USA Sun Feb 27 21:43:49 CST 2000 I remember going to Joe and Ida's home after he had his stroke and seeing him in bed. My father went in to talk to him and visit him. It was a quiet and sad ride home. I also remember being impressed with Ida's trees..she showed my Mom and me a pear tree that she had planted and wanted to move to a different spot. I love to plant trees too and have at times moved my plants from here to there just because I wanted them in a different spot...when I do I think about her and her trees. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gloria Gray French beetleart@aol.com Fri Apr 7 20:10:47 CDT 2000 I rember grandpa took my brother and I to the store one day when we were about 4&5 years old and Grandma Ida had dressed us up in the nicest clothes and told grandps to keep us clean. Grandpa deciede that his grandchildren should get Ice cream. He got us the biggest cholate Ice cream cones. When we got home and grandma saw the choclate all over my new dress she told grandpa to come talk to her in the washroom. He came out with a smile on his face and grandma was scowling then in that wash room she changed me mumbling all the time. That was the best Ice cream cone I have ever eaten and I know Grandpaa enjoyed watching us enjoy it. I so loved that Grandps of mine. He was always so kind and caring. |