February 21, 1926 – March 2, 2008

Lille Annikka Hartikainen (née Koppanen) passed away on March 2, 2008 in Merritt Hospital in British Columbia.

She was the beloved wife of Heikki Hartikainen who predeceased her on Dec. 10, 2003; loving mother to Sirkka (Kalervo Konu) of Thunder Bay, Sinikka Czirak (Bob Darwin) of Merritt, B.C., Jouko (Karen) of Kitchener, Leila (George Smith) of Merritt, B.C., Risto of Toronto, Paula (Gregg Shasta) of Lindsay and Susan (Brian White) of Gravenhurst; grandmother to Mia (Wayne Dong), Brian (Shannon), Geza (Sarah), Jani (Christine), Chris (Lucy), Synnove (Keith Frieson), Alia Lanteinge, Annille (Chris Hepburn), Gabriel (Amy), Kari, Maki, Derek (Shrista); great-grandma to Caden, Christian, Sandor, Raija, Reese, Celine, Joey, Nathan, Lille, Dakota and Jasper.

Lille was born in Karelia, Pyha Jarvi, Finland on Feb. 21, 1926. During World War II she used to row soldiers across the lake. This was how she met Heikki Hartikainen, her husband. They were married on Oct. 2, 1943. They arrived for the wedding from opposite directions, with Lille bicycling to the church. A man walking down the road was picked up to be the witness to the wedding. After the ceremony Heikki returned to the war and Lille returned home.

In 1944 Russia occupied her homeland. There was a dreaded knock at the door during dinner and they all had to leave with one suitcase. The horses had been confiscated and there was no room on the train so Lille and her little brother Nilo had to walk into Finland. She was eight and a half weeks pregnant and sometimes had to carry Nilo. She walked to Heikki’s home where nobody knew that she was his wife. A week later she delivered her baby. She went back to her home three weeks later to find the houses were all burned and their possessions gone.

In 1957 Lille and Heikki immigrated to Canada with six children and another on the way. They lived in Thunder Bay and then Toronto. After building a cottage on Turtle Lake, they lived in Gravenhurst for 25 years and then moved back to Thunder Bay. They spent their final years in British Columbia. She looked after her husband for 18 years.

Lille enjoyed crocheting, knitting, travel and her family.

A memorial service was held in Thunder Bay on March 5, 2008 and another will be held in Burnaby, B.C. at the Finnish Manor. Cremation has taken place.