1935
William
2017
William Oksanen
September 10, 1935 — January 5, 2017
Calling hours will be held in Brandon Funeral Home, 305 Wanoosnoc Road, Fitchburg on Sunday, January 8, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. with a brief memorial service immediately following. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Fitchburg East Rotary Club and left at the funeral home.
OBITUARY – WILLIAM E. OKSANEN
Fitchburg – William Ellis Oksanen, 81, of Fitchburg, passed away peacefully in his home on Thursday, January 5, 2017.
Bill was born in Fitchburg on September 10, 1935, the son of Ellis Oksanen and Lily (Luoma) Oksanen, who both immigrated to the U.S. from Finland in the early 1900’s. He graduated from Fitchburg High School in 1953, and then attended Dean College in Franklin, MA., where he graduated with a degree in Business Administration and met his future wife, Patricia Sykes, of Branford, CT. He joined the family business, Micro Tool Inc. in Ashby, MA. as a co-owner and general manager. After several decades, the business was sold and Bill joined Micro Machine and Electronics of Leominster, where he worked until his last days.
Bill was on the swim team in both high school and college, and enjoyed all forms of water activities at his summer home on Billy Ward Pond in Ashby, MA, including swimming, water skiing and most importantly, traditional Finish sauna. He introduced his children to skiing at Mt. Watatic in Ashby, MA., taking them there every weekend and participated actively in the Ski Club and the Youth Racing Program. He was a founding member, past president and Paul Harris Fellow of the Fitchburg East Rotary Club. The Club originated and managed the flower box initiative in downtown Fitchburg. He could often be seen watering the petunias around town in the specialized watering truck he designed and built. Bill was passionate about giving back to the community and believed in the best of Fitchburg. He was also an active member of the Mid-State Auto Club. He enjoyed restoring his vintage Thunderbird and regularly attended classic car exhibitions and drove in 4th of July parades. Most of all, Bill loved his wife, children, grandchildren and extended family. He was known for his intelligence, calmness, generosity and gentle sense of humor.
He leaves his loving wife, Patricia (Sykes) Oksanen of Fitchburg; children, Elizabeth Sullivan and companion Gary LaBell of Princeton; Thomas Oksanen and wife Patricia of Sudbury; Ann Wilkins and husband Robert of Peterborough, NH, and sadly pre-deceased by his youngest son, Peter Oksanen of Ashburnham, MA; grandchildren Kara (Sullivan) Keating and her husband Kevin of Atlanta, GA, their child and his great-granddaughter Addison Keating, Alyssa Sullivan also of Atlanta, GA; Lily and Abigail Oksanen of Sudbury, MA., and Jared and Adam Rumley of Fitchburg; brother in law Michael Sykes of Fitchburg; sister in law Charlotte Sykes of Toronto, and many cousins and extended family who will love and miss him.
OBITUARY – WILLIAM E. OKSANEN
Fitchburg – William Ellis Oksanen, 81, of Fitchburg, passed away peacefully in his home on Thursday, January 5, 2017.
Bill was born in Fitchburg on September 10, 1935, the son of Ellis Oksanen and Lily (Luoma) Oksanen, who both immigrated to the U.S. from Finland in the early 1900’s. He graduated from Fitchburg High School in 1953, and then attended Dean College in Franklin, MA., where he graduated with a degree in Business Administration and met his future wife, Patricia Sykes, of Branford, CT. He joined the family business, Micro Tool Inc. in Ashby, MA. as a co-owner and general manager. After several decades, the business was sold and Bill joined Micro Machine and Electronics of Leominster, where he worked until his last days.
Bill was on the swim team in both high school and college, and enjoyed all forms of water activities at his summer home on Billy Ward Pond in Ashby, MA, including swimming, water skiing and most importantly, traditional Finish sauna. He introduced his children to skiing at Mt. Watatic in Ashby, MA., taking them there every weekend and participated actively in the Ski Club and the Youth Racing Program. He was a founding member, past president and Paul Harris Fellow of the Fitchburg East Rotary Club. The Club originated and managed the flower box initiative in downtown Fitchburg. He could often be seen watering the petunias around town in the specialized watering truck he designed and built. Bill was passionate about giving back to the community and believed in the best of Fitchburg. He was also an active member of the Mid-State Auto Club. He enjoyed restoring his vintage Thunderbird and regularly attended classic car exhibitions and drove in 4th of July parades. Most of all, Bill loved his wife, children, grandchildren and extended family. He was known for his intelligence, calmness, generosity and gentle sense of humor.
He leaves his loving wife, Patricia (Sykes) Oksanen of Fitchburg; children, Elizabeth Sullivan and companion Gary LaBell of Princeton; Thomas Oksanen and wife Patricia of Sudbury; Ann Wilkins and husband Robert of Peterborough, NH, and sadly pre-deceased by his youngest son, Peter Oksanen of Ashburnham, MA; grandchildren Kara (Sullivan) Keating and her husband Kevin of Atlanta, GA, their child and his great-granddaughter Addison Keating, Alyssa Sullivan also of Atlanta, GA; Lily and Abigail Oksanen of Sudbury, MA., and Jared and Adam Rumley of Fitchburg; brother in law Michael Sykes of Fitchburg; sister in law Charlotte Sykes of Toronto, and many cousins and extended family who will love and miss him.
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