Martha (Hannula) Kuokkanen

PRINCETON/WESTMINSTER - Martha (Hannula) Kuokkanen, beloved wife of Markku Kuokkanen, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by her family on Tuesday, March 9, 2021. Born in Gardner and raised in East Templeton, she was the daughter of the late Toivo and Fannie (Botman) Hannula.

Martha graduated from Narragansett High School in 1963 and Ward School of Business in 1964. After graduation, she worked for over ten years as a travel agent. She was employed as a bookkeeper with the Department of Corrections for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, retiring after 20 years of dedicated service.

Martha took great pride in her heritage and was active in the preservation of Finnish culture. She was a longtime member of the Ladies of Kaleva Fitchburg lodge and served as Grand Matron of the international Ladies of Kaleva Grand Lodge. She was a board member and registrar for FinnFest in 1983.

She will be lovingly missed and remembered by her husband of 46 years, Markku; her two daughters, Nina Kuokkanen of Lynn and Sonja Kuokkanen of Princeton; her son, Paul Kuokkanen of Princeton; her two brothers, Roland Hannula and his wife, Roberta of Ridge, NY and David Hannula and his wife, Evelyn of Tewksbury; brother-in-law, Wesley Landry of Leominster; sister-in-law, Clara Hannula of Westminster; many nieces, nephews, and cousins; and extended family members and friends in Finland and Sweden that she enjoyed visiting over the years. She was predeceased by her brothers, Henry Hannula and his wife, Patricia and Victor Hannula; and by her sisters, Ellen Fitzgerald and her husband, Leon and Barbara Landry.

Relatives and friends are invited to visit with the family from 10 to 11 a.m. on Saturday, March 20 in the Miles-Sterling Funeral Home & Tribute Center, 100 Worcester Road, Sterling. A memorial service honoring her life will follow at 11 a.m. in the funeral home.

Appropriate Covid-19 protocol will be observed including the use of face masks and social distancing. Burial will be private at a later date at Woodside Cemetery, Westminster, MA. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made payable to the “18/24 Scholarship Fund” and sent to Kaleva Scholarship Fund, 32 Perry Road, Lancaster, MA 01523.

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