Funeral services were held for Audrey Perala age 88, of New York Mills, on Monday, January 6, 2025 at Trinity Lutheran Church in New York Mills, with Pastor Kirk Douglas officiating. The hymns were sung by the congregation, accompanied by Janell Brakel. Special music was provided by Gary Bach. The pallbearers were Audrey’s grandsons: Joseph, Kiley, Thomas, Jordan, Skylar, Jake, Jess, Ian, Mason, Jonas and Jasper. Audrey was laid to rest in Woodland Cemetery, New York Mills.

Audrey Ardell Johanna Emas was born on June 18 or 19, 1936 in Leaf Lake township to Fred and Mary (Lepisto) Emas. Mom was never sure about the exact date of her birth. Specifics did not matter so much in the summer of 1936 at Leaf Lake during those times. Mom crossed from this life to the next on January 2, 2025, in her home, on her farm, in rural New York Mills, according to her wishes. This date we know specifically because we were there, her personal care team made up of her nine grown children. The specific date of Mom’s passing matters to us for another reason: Mom died 25 years after Dad, on the exact same date. They are reunited again.

As a youngster, Mom grew up largely on Leaf Lake, fishing year ‘round and swimming all summer. Mom once saved a man from drowning on Leaf Lake. When we tried to make a big deal of her heroic act, she simply rolled her eyes and said, “Was there a choice?” And that closed the discussion with permanency.

During her school years, Mom was educated in New York Mills, Renville, and the Minneapolis area. While in Minneapolis schools, Mom’s teachers had her skip a grade. Like so many of her generation, Mom was bilingual. And, like so many who belonged to and felt most at home in the Finnish triangle, Mom’s first language was Finnish, with English being the language of school. (Our parents did not teach Finnish to us, reserving use of Finn for adult discussions that nine sets of young ears didn’t need to hear. We offspring often say all we got out of the deal was a very regional accent and a rather bland diet – though we can say somersault, Devil’s cracker, and fish head stew in Finnish, and you can tell by looking at us that we love flatbread.) When her family moved from the cities back to Middle Leaf Lake, Mom attended school in New York Mills again. Open enrollment wasn’t a thing then, but no one raised a challenge when Mom walked a mile to catch the NYM bus. Mom graduated in 1954, salutatorian of her class. Her classmates and school experience mattered to Mom; she looked forward to seeing former classmates at the 1954 class reunion each year.

In high school, Mom worked at F and M State Bank in NYM. In her married life, she was a partner in Leaf Lake Ballroom, a clerk at Southside grocery, an auction clerk for Perala Bros Auctioneers, and a farmer. Mom retired from farming in 2023, selling her cattle when she was 86 years old and bringing an end to her daily walk around the fence line. Our Mom was a woman of quiet and deep faith, a prayer warrior, and we think some of that came from praying the fence would stay up. Despite her “outside jobs”, throughout her life, Mom’s main employment was raising nine children, who she loved unconditionally. And we mean without condition. Whether we were naughty or nice, Mom’s harshest discipline was a raised eyebrow and “the look.” Her silent yet crystal clear message was consistently: be humble and fill yourself with sisu, hope, and prayer.

You might say Mom’s farm home had an open-door policy. On any given day of the week, one to 51 of her nine kids, 27 grandkids, or 29 great grandkids might stop in for coffee and a game of cards. Mom never turned down the chance to beat you at cards, though she was equally interested and highly capable of beating you at Words with Friends. You just took your thumping with grace. Sunday afternoons at Mom’s were even more busy than usual if the Vikings were playing! Throughout the afternoon of game day, an eclectic crowd ranging in age from tiny babies to senior citizens streamed in and out and shared the patchwork potluck that developed across the kitchen counters and stove top. In addition to (or at least in addition to pretending to) being happiest when surrounded by family, Mom found quiet time to crochet (“if you can count, you can crochet”), bake (“if you can read, you can bake”), and to complete crossword puzzles in record time. Our Mom was a lifelong member of Trinity Lutheran Church of NYM. She was the silent force that ensured each of us was properly baptized and confirmed there, too.

Those who knew our mom know she worked to remain completely out of the limelight, yet she was willing to offer a witty one liner when the occasion demanded it. It may be her hysterically funny sense of humor that will be missed most by her nine children: Teresa (Bob) Theisen, Jeffrey, Joel, Tamara (Tim) Uselman, Tawnia (Steve) Hoehne, Jason “Heikki” (Nikki), Jared (Patty), Tara (Charly) Baune, and Jeremy “Hoby” (Christa); her 27 grandchildren: Sarah, Joseph, Maria; Kiley, Kendal, Kinsey; JaNae; Katie, Chelsie, Thomas; Jordan, Logan, Skylar; Jake, Jess, Emma, Ian, Avery; Hannah, Haley, Mason; Jonas, Aidyn, Alayna; Ella, Olive, Jasper; and her 29 great grandchildren. Mom is survived by a brother-and-sister-in-law, Paul and Sandy Perala, and sister-in-law Beverly Perala, as well as cousins, nieces, nephews, several members of the class of 1954, and some solid friends. Preceding Mom in death were her parents; husband Jack; grandson, Logan Hoehne; sisters Astrid, Agnes, Alice, and Arlene, and their spouses; brothers Norman and Adley Emas and his spouse; special niece Gloria Setterholm; parents-in-law, Walter and Lempi Perala; Dad’s brothers: Floyd, Jess, Jim, and baby Joseph; and Dad’s sisters: Lorraine Olsen and Dede Menze and their spouses.

We’d like to send a shout out to the Perham Health team, Dr. Stong and Dr. Talitha, Perham Living Home Care staff, and Vivie Hospice. It is said when you lose someone you love, you must learn both to live without them and with the love they left behind. It is our fervent hope that the faith and sisu filled spirit of Audrey Ardell Johanna Emas Perala lives on in each of us.

Please visit www.karvonenfuneralhome.com to leave condolences and memorials on Audrey’s Tribute Wall.

Arrangements provided by Karvonen Funeral and Cremation Service of New York Mills.