HAUKIOJA, Sara Maria (nee KAHONEN) - Passed away suddenly, on June 8, 2021, at Suomi Koti, Toronto.
Born November 15, 1929 in Kakisalmi, Karelia, Finland, she was predeceased by her husband of 66 years, Olavi Jalmari Haukioja, on January 14, 2014.
Sara was the eldest of 8 children born to Helmi (a magician with the loom and bake oven) and Mikko Kahonen (a carpenter). Each of her 5 sisters and 2 brothers predeceased her.
Displaced by war, Sara's family settled in Lahti, Finland where she married and soon followed her adventurous and brave husband, with 2 children in tow, to the wilds of Northern Ontario in 1951.
Early life was harsh in the cold lumber camps, but Sara had "sisu", which roughly translates as strength of will, faith, perseverance and courage.
A third child was born in the forest roads of Chapleau in 1952.
A move to Timmins in 1960 saw an improvement in the family circumstances and allowed her children to attend higher education.
Throughout her life, Sara maintained a keen interest in world events, family, friends, cooking, baking, sewing and writing letters voluminously with elegant script.
Always she stood alongside her husband, taking up golf in their retirement years at Lake Worth, Florida.
Sara's physical health declined rapidly in the past 3 years, but she remained sharp and positive, enjoying the care and company of her children, neighbours at Suomi Koti, Dr. Ylanko and her newspapers, books and magazines.
Sara missed blueberry picking at the edges of the boreal pine forests of Foleyet, Chapleau and Island Lake and spoke hopefully of again being strong enough to resume baking her delicious "Karelian piirakoita".
A forgiving soul, Sara often prayed for the health and happiness of everyone she knew, especially her growing family. Sara had safeguarded the thread of connection to her cherished family roots with her albums, stories and renderings of traditional Finnish foods.
Perhaps, with her passing, one or more of her descendants will pick up the thread that she had woven a part of, and (curiosity aroused) continue expanding on the rich and colourful tapestry of her family tree.
Sara leaves behind her children Tuula Haukioja, Ari Haukioja (Catherine) and Olivia Lee; her grandchildren Sara Stewart (Alan), Jessica McCarthy (David Linton), Keri Howard (Troy), Erin Lee, Matthew Haukioja (Genevieve), Olivia Jones (Adam) and Luke Haukioja (Maria Victoria); her great-grandchildren Logan McCarthy, Meekah Howard, Aanna Stewart, Kaisa Howard, and Harper Jones.
A private family memorial service was held on June 30, 2021, at Cobourg Union Cemetery with Reverend Kevin Fast, Pastor of St. Paul's Lutheran Church as Officiant.
Donations in memory of Sara may be forwarded to St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Cobourg; Agricola Finnish Lutheran Church, Toronto; or the Finnish Canadian Seniors Centre, Toronto.
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