Wilho "Bill" Mattila

Funeral service for Wilho "Bill" S. Mattila, 88, of Eveleth, formerly of Aurora, will be 11am Friday, April 6, 2012 at Heritage Trail Bible Church in McKinley with Pastor Michael Wefel officiating. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church. Burial will take place at a later date in the Forest Hill Cemetery in Aurora. Military honors accorded by the Aurora/Hoyt Lakes Color Guard. Arrangements by Ziemer-Moeglein-Shatava Funeral Home in Aurora. He died April 2, 2012 at Willow Wood Memory Care in Eveleth, MN. Wilho was born May 29, 1923 in Floodwood, MN to Ivar and Betty Mattila. Following his graduation from Floodwood High School in 1941, he served our country in the US Army during WWII. He was stationed in the Phillippine Islands and in Japan. He was awarded the Purple Heart. He worked for Erie Mining Company as a maintenance mechanic and retired from there in 1986. He was a Life Member of the Aurora American Legion Post 241 and its Last Man's Club, the Hoyt Lakes VFW Post 8144 and the Duluth Purple Heart. Wilho was also a member of SOAR and attended Heritage Trail Bible Church. Survivors include his children, Gary (Sherry McDonald) of Inver Grove Heights, Daniel (Ronda) of San Antonio, TX, Scott (Rosemary) of Albequerque, NM, Brian of Phoenix, AZ, David (Anna) of Virginia and Mary (Murray) Kraushaar of Aurora; brother, Donald (Marvel) of Floodwood; sisters, Lilly Autio, Bertha Wain, Elsie Tollgaard and Elvi (Jim) Tollgaard all of Floodwood; 12 grandchildren, Morgan, Max, Daniel and Marla Mattila, Rachel (Craig) Kuleza, LeAnna, Ray, Sarah and Travis Mattila, Joshua (Katrina), Jessica and Matthew Kraushaar; three great grandchildren, Avah, Maggie and Barrett; several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents; and a son, Thomas; brother, John; former wife, Lorraine.