Oiva Arvo Nurmi

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Oiva Arvo Nurmi

OTISFIELD — Oiva Arvo Nurmi, 87, of Otisfield died on Monday, December 20, 2010 at Market Square Health Care in South Paris, where he had resided since September. Born in Waterford, December 28, 1922, he was the fourth of 13 children born to John and Elsie (Lehto) Nurmi. He was educated in Waterford, Hebron and Paris schools.

He worked in several area mills and factories throughout the area but his greatest enjoyment came from the outdoors. He started in the woods with his dad, on one end of the two-man crosscut and was one of the first in the area to purchase a chain saw. From timber harvesting to firewood, from clearing fields to burning brush, he was meticulous in his methods. When age and health prevented him from working, he continued his outdoor interests by maintaining multiple bird feeders that he enjoyed watching through his kitchen window. Identifying different species was part of the interest.

While actively involved at Deering Memorial Methodist Church, he also served as an Assistant Scoutmaster. Part of his daily routine was crosswords and jumbles from the newspapers. He was always interested in current local and world events, and enjoyed watching the news, Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune.

Mr. Nurmi was proud of his Finnish Heritage and was an active member of the Finnish-American Heritage Society of Maine where he co-chaired many public suppers with his wife, Ina, and had served as a director. He also enjoyed singing. He entertained both family and staff at Market Square with sound, both Finnish and American.

Among his survivors is his widow, Ina, to whom he was married for 62 years; his daughter, Linda Andrews; daughters-in-law, Marilee Nurmi and Jolene Feeley; sisters, Martha Flanigan and Barbara Payne; 12 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; several nieces and nephews and his cat, Wilbur.

His sons, James Bonney and Tom Nurmi; brothers, John, Olavi, William, Eugene, Edwin, Taisto and Robert and sisters, Irene Kimball, Selma Mills and Elsie Wade, predeceased him.

A celebration of his life will be held in the spring. Donations in Mr. Nurmi's memory may be made to the Finnish-American Heritage Society of Maine, P.O. Box 294, West Paris, ME 04289. Arrangements under the care of Oxford Hills and Weston Funeral Services, 1037 Main St., Rte 26, Oxford. On-line condolences may be expressed to the family at www.oxfordhillsfuneralservices.com.