Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Remembering Hilma Millimaki


MATT MILLIMAKI, center

HILMA & 2 BROTHERS



MATT & HILMA WITH MARGARITE (L) & EVELYN


     Hillma Millimaki ... the eldest of four Haglund children in Republic, Michigan. Johan August Haglund, of Stockholm, Sweden, married a girl from Vaasa, Finland (his second wife;the first died). The Haglunds came to America, landing in Eagle River, Michigan.


     Hilma Willhemina Haglund was born in Eagle River, Michigan on November 10, 1892. She died at home in Republic on August 26, 1970.


     Hilma was pretty ... attracted a wonderful man... Matt Millimaki. When wrestling was a popular sport in the U.P., Matt was a very successful wrestler. He became a prominent businessman ... owning a grocery store/gas station in Clarksburg, Michigan ... west of Marquette. Later, Matt had a saloon in downtown Ishpeming, Michigan. But, Matt had a poor heart ... and died relatively young.



Grocery store & gas station, see the people...

















      Hilma returned to Republic & bought a nice house, a block off main street. Just guessing, Hilma had some mining stock, which declined in value when mining slowed.







When, Margarite's pre-school daughter, Lois, came to live with her ... Hilma lived in that home, but then moved to the Haglund homestead on Michigamme "Lake" (really a reservoir), where her brother, Bill Haglund was living, alone. His wife, Aili, had been sent to a sanitorium in Lower Michigan.




Hilma, after Margarite's divorce, moved to Arlington Heights, Illinois briefly so that Margarite could work. Then, Hilma moved back to Republic with Lois ... first to the house at downtown downtown Republic ... then to the Haglund homestead by Bill.







When Hilma didn't have Lois there, she supported herself as a cook, working at various restaurants, even a time at a Montana lumber camp. She also took in sewing.


















    Hilma loved to play Bingo ... was known as being lucky ... had many pretty dishes, etc. given as prizes. Some of these are now in her desk, which Lois now has. Hilma, maybe needing money?, sold off some things like the desk ... which Margarite bought and gave to Lois.


People used to bronze baby shoes. Hilma had one of the shoes in that desk ... E. H. Pratt had the other. When he died, his wife sent the other shoe to Lois. By that time, Lois had the desk, and the shoe. In the shoe that Hilma had, was a cut out photo, maybe destined to be inside a locket ... of Matt!





Matt and Hilma had no children ... but, was blessed with Margarite and Evelyn when Aili, Bill's wife had to go back to the sanatorium in Lower Michigan. Margarite was about 10?, Evelyn, 3?. There are photos of the girls, Margarite and Evelyn, at the grocery store/gas station and the Ishpeming saloon. Margarite identified the High School at Michigamme as where she graduated. She pointed to a home in Michigamme as where her girlfriend lived.




Hilma was a steady church goer and had many friends, including Lil Peterson, the Matriarch of Republic. Lil and Bob Peterson lived on a house in Republic overlooking the School Lake, the school, and the giant "bluff" ... which was later removed when the mine reopened.


     Lil and Bob's eldest son, Bob and Marci stood up for Margarite and David Mocine when Margarite remarried David Mocine, at the Finnish Lutheran Church (which later burned down). Gene Peterson later married Evelyn.


When Evelyn & Gene lived in Marquette (he had the music stores there), Hilma got to enjoy her granddaughter, Kristine, and Kristine and Ken's children. Later, Kris and Ken moved to Lower Michigan.


Dave Mocine, Margarite Mocine, Hilma Millimaki, with Lois Mocine in front
     Margarite and David resided for a time in Chicago, Arlington Heights, Illinois and for a time near Escanaba, Michigan ... thence to Wisconsin. Hilma had sometimes visits from Margarite's children, especially while the family lived by Escanaba. Later, as Margarite's children grew older and had their own children, sometimes they would come up from Wisconsin to visit.


"Grama Millimaki" with Jean Mocine, Cheryl Peterson, Sue Mocine, & Nancy Peterson

Hilma & Bill, before the house was moved to the "New Location"

     When Hilma died, it was at home with Bill at the Haglund home. Bill said that Hilma got up early to let her cat, Mitzi, out. Hilma called out to Bill, who slept upstairs, for help, but, it was too late. She died in the bedroom.


Saturday, September 17, 2011

It's getting COLD!

In cleaning off my computor ... here's an e-mail that I sent out:







This has been a series of calamities for the past 4-5 months ... three deaths in the family, a trip to Texas to sort my Mom's stuff ... then, my septic tank quit ... it had never given me trouble before. That was during the two-week deer season here .... no septic company answered my phone calls. I've been battling with my old printer, & now the new one. That is hampering my genealogy project! Just when I thought things were looking up ... last week, on the coldest night of the winter ... like 25 below zero ... my furnace quit! When I woke up at 5 am ... it was in the nick of time ... some of the water pipes were ALMOST frozen, but finally started. I got some heaters going & started the clothes dryer so that the warm air would help protect the wash machine & water pipes there. That meant making some wet clothes to put into the dryer. The washer ALMOST didn't start!









AN EARLY MORNING VIEW ... THE SUN PEEKING OVER THE HILL BEHIND THE HOUSE.





A LITTLE BUDDY ... NIBBLING ON A BREAD CRUST.












LAST COUPLE OF NIGHTS ... IT'S BEEN FROSTING








I should have had this bright idea earlier this summer ... I've been painting the house ...


not going to go way up ... THIS IS A TWO-STORY HOUSE.




L o i S






Sunday, September 11, 2011

DOUBLE FEATURE WEEKEND

     Saturday would have been Mom's birthday ... I did call my brothers & sisters ... It doesn't still seem possible that I cannot call my Mom every day!
    I did e-mail the announcer on "FINLAND CALLING" to request he play "something by Victor Klimenko".  Mom & I had gone up to Covington, to the church, for a concert. Victor is from Finland. We enjoyed it ... we even bought some of his CD's.  I included a photo of Me, Mom, & Grama Millimaki (in Arlington Heights, IL).



     Saturday & Sunday ... I mostly watched TV ... in honor of 9/11 there were so many programs. But, also, on both days, I was painting on the house. The south side & the east side had a lot of peeling paint.  I scraped that off ... & went over that with primer (& over, & over the worst) ... then, the final coat.  I was worried about falling off the ladder ... but, all went well.

L o i S