Lahja Annikki Johnson

Lahja “Annikki” Johnson, 83, of Astoria, died Wednesday, Aug. 10, 2011, in Seaside.

She was born Dec. 2, 1927, in Uttaa Jarvi, Finland, to Niilo Tuomi and Aida Pavola Koski. She was the first of 11 children. Her home was a working farm. Her mother died when she was 2 years old.

She graduated from Finnish Herdsman School, which involved dairy cows. She attended drama classes in Turku, Finland.

On July 1, 1966, she married Eino Johnson. He survives, residing in Astoria.

In Finland, Mrs. Johnson’s employment included working in a clothing factory. In Stockholm, Sweden, she worked in an electric cable factory. In America, she enjoyed being a farmer and gardener, milking cows and growing berries, fruit, flowers, and vegetables. She also cleaned houses and worked in a tuna cannery, a health food store and as a mink farm worker. She took English and certified nursing assistant (CNA) classes at Clatsop Community College. Until 1997, she was a CNA and cared for six patients. She was a talk show host on KAST Finnish hour in the 1970s, and sang the Finnish Anthem many times at the Scandinavian Festival. She was a member of the Christian faith.

Family members said that while she was in Finland, she enjoyed keeping busy and loved skiing. She was an artist and a painter of scenery, birds and flowers in the 1970s. She loved spending time with her family. She and her husband traveled to Cook Island, Hawaii, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Spain, Italy, France, Israel, Canada, Switzerland, Germany, the Samoan Islands, Mexico, the Panama Canal, New Zealand and Central America. They also took road trips in the U.S. and Alaska.

In addition to her husband, she is survived by four daughters, Tuula Reinoso of Warrenton, Sylvia Weber and Lori Matic of Eatonville, Wash., and Linda Woolsey of Olympia, Wash.; 14 grandchildren, Eric and Nick Reinoso, Rita and Nathan Rivero, Gina Dizon, Felipe, Jaclyn, Brandon, Debra, Rachal and Joel Matic and Amanda, Kyle and Henna Weber; and eight great-grandchildren, Sean, Ben and Talis Rivero, Judea, Elli, Brynn and Reily Dizon and Julian Sanchez.

Visitation will be from 1 to 5 p.m. Monday, Aug. 15, and 9 a.m. to noon Tuesday, Aug. 16, at Caldwell’s Luce-Layton Mortuary, 1165 Franklin Ave.

A funeral will be held at 1 p.m. Tuesday at the mortuary, followed by a graveside service at Ocean View Cemetery in Warrenton, then a reception at Suomi Hall, 244 W. Marine Drive.

Memorial contributions may be given to Providence Seaside Hospital, Extended Care Unit, 725 South Wahanna Road, Seaside, OR 97138.

Caldwell’s Luce-Layton Mortuary in Astoria is in charge of the arrangements. An online guest book can be signed at caldwellsmortuary.com