Aune I. Pontinen

Aune I. Pontinen- Funeral services for Aune I. Pontinen, 95, of Sparta, will be 1:30 PM Tuesday June 14, 2011 at United In Christ Lutheran Church in Eveleth. Rev. Joel Rova-Hegener will officiate. Visitation will be Tuesday from noon until the time of the funeral at the church. Burial will be in the Gilbert Cemetery. Mrs. Pontinen died Thursday June 9, 2011 at the Virginia Convalescent Center in Virginia, Minnesota. Aune Ilma Pontinen was born December 19, 1915 in Sparta to Peter and Susan (Rajamaki) Lintula. She graduated from the Gilbert High School in 1932. She was married to Eli S. Pontinen on June 29, 1938 in Eveleth. The couple made their home in Sparta. Aune was a member of the United Lutheran Church in Gilbert, it's Ladies Aid, and later the United In Christ Lutheran Church. She was a past volunteer for the Gilbert/Eveleth Meals on Wheels. She enjoyed gardening, flowers, watching hockey and the Minnesota Twins. Aune especially enjoyed attending the sporting events that her children and grandchildren participated in. Aune is survived by daughter Karen (William) Knaus of Gilbert; sons Lee (Karen McCue) Pontinen of Ely Lake, Robert (Joy) Pontinen of Sparta, David Pontinen of Sparta; grandchildren: Mike (Jodi) Knaus, Dana (Neil) Tucker, Sarah Buncich, Thomas Buncich, Todd (Jennifer) Pontinen, Ryan (Stacy) Pontinen, Jill (Shawn) Goerdt, Roy (Jodi) Pontinen, Chad (Abby) Pontinen, Neil (Beth Schmidt) Pontinen, Aubray Pontinen; great grandchildren: Alex and Jaclyn Knaus, Eli and Evan Tucker, Kyle and Brooke Pontinen, Annika Pontinen;Siiri, Emily and Kate Pontinen, Paris Pontinen, Vienna Goerdt, Tristan Peterson, Eli Pontinen; sister-in-law Eva Lintula; as well as many nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her parents, son in infancy, husband Eli (2000), daughter Sandra Buncich (2006), son-in-law Peter Buncich(2002), brothers Peter, Waino, Veikko.