Elma Helen Ruonavaara was born March 23, 1919 on her parents’ farm in Jacobsville, MI, the youngest of four children of Nels and Hilda (Muonio). She was only 11 months old when the Spanish influenza struck the family and caused the death of her young, vigorous father. Her mother sold the farm and moved with the children to Fir Street in Hancock, MI. After attending elementary and high school in Hancock, Elma first went to Detroit where she did housework for $7.00 a week. With not really enough work to keep busy, she became homesick and returned to Hancock. In Hancock, she worked and studied at Suomi College, and then took a civil service exam that led her to a job in Highland Park, MI with the Unemployment Compensation Commission. Later she transferred to the Employment office in Hancock and worked there until her marriage to Edwin Jonas Eloranta on February 6, 1943. After their wedding, Ed brought his wife to Owen, WI, where she got her first look at the farm that would be the home of the newlyweds. They farmed there with Ed’s brother and mother and had their first child at that farm, and then, in May of 1944, bought their own farm in the southwest corner of Green Grove. There they lived together for the rest of their lives, milking cows, planting and harvesting crops, and raising eight children. Ed and Elma were married for over 74 years and both died peacefully, each in their 98th year of life, Ed on March 20, 2017, and Elma on November 10, 2017, in the Green Grove farmhouse.
Elma did the farm bookwork and budgets, took care of a huge garden, milked cows, drove tractors, and encouraged their children to read, explore, build, experiment, and learn. Beside the chair where Elma rested after a meal was a tall stack of books and magazines. Elma wanted to know the philosophies and ideas of thinkers from all ages, and talked with interest about the ideas she encountered. She also enjoyed sewing, baking, canning, cooking, gardening, working crossword puzzles, writing, and playing Scrabble. She corresponded regularly with many friends and a large extended family.
Elma is survived by children Edwin W. (Jeanne) Eloranta of Mt. Horeb; Helen (Rob) Vater Blaha of Loyal, Jim (Pat) Eloranta of Owen; Jack (Corky) Eloranta of Tower, MN; Bob (Mary) Eloranta of Pewaukee; Dave (Bonnie) of Poynette; Rick (Sue) Eloranta of Owen; and Carol Eloranta of Grand Marais, MN. She is also survived by 15 grandchildren: Ed (Kay) Vater of Osceola; Sue (George) Vater Olsen of New London; Jack (Jenny) Vater of Iola; Chris (Katie) Eloranta of Port Coquitlam, BC, Canada ; Erica (Anna) Grunseth of Green Bay; Emily Eloranta of Tower, MN; Tom Eloranta of Chicago, IL; John Eloranta of Tower, MN; Tyler (Sarah) Eloranta of Florence, WI; Jessie (John) Stevens of Edgerton, WI; Rebecca (Andrew) Gazapian of Poynette; Rachel Eloranta of Poynette; Ryan Eloranta of St. Paul, MN; Kari (Ethan Genteman)Eloranta of St. Paul, MN; and Kate Eloranta of St. Paul, MN. She is also survived by fifteen great-grandchildren: Michael, Sarah and Eric Vater, Robbie, Charlie, Henry and Nola Mae Vater, Gwyn and Natalie Eloranta, Ivy, Clara, and Jane Stevens; Jonas Eloranta; and Noelle and Anthony Gazapian. She is also survived by her brother Robert Ruonavaara of Kalispell, Montana, and many nieces and nephews.
Elma Eloranta was preceded in death by her husband Edwin, on March 20, 2017, her brother Arnold Ruonavaara and sister Flora Hendrickson, son-in-law, Neil P. Vater, and infant granddaughter Julie Vater.
In accord with her wishes, there will be no services or memorials.
