Mrs. Mayme E Perna's Obituary
Mayme Eleanor Perna passed away peacefully at Carrington Place of St. Pete in St. Petersburg, Florida on January 28, 2018 at 93 years of age. Mayme was born May 16, 1924 in Homestead Township in New York Mills, Minnesota to Henry (Heikki) Lauri and Ida Wilhelmina (Peltomaa) Neuvonen who were both born in Finland. She graduated from New York Mills High School in 1942 and then began work at the Co-op Store. She was united in marriage to Vernon Roy Perna on January 17, 1944. Together they enjoyed 63 years of blissful marriage until Vernon’s passing in 2007. They raised their children Sherrill Vernon “Pete” and Sharon Mae in New York Mills where Vernon was the Building and Grounds Supervisor of the New York Mills Schools and Athletic Fields while Mayme worked at the New York Mills Co-op Store. They moved to Minneapolis in 1967 where they were employed first at United Theological Seminary and later for 15 years for Curt Carlson as caretakers at his Lake Minnetonka estate. Beginning in 1986 they enjoyed many years of happy retirement in Superior, Wisconsin and their beloved sunny St. Petersburg, Florida.
Mayme enjoyed doting on her family with loving kindness with a constant smile, joyful nature, witty humor and fun times. She was always ready with a warm pleasant, heartfelt, cheerful welcome, accompanied by great meals. She enjoyed keeping up to date with reading the newspaper and magazines mostly focusing on health articles. She liked word puzzles, cards, taking walks, enjoying nature, going out to eat, taking drives, visiting, and thoroughly appreciating all of life’s gifts. She took great pride in her Finnish heritage and culture and spoke fluent Finnish.
Preceded in her passing are her husband Vernon, son Sherrill Pete (2012), her parents Henry (1942) and Mina (1952) Neuvonen, and all of her 15 older siblings Jalmer (Hilma Jokela), Amanda Julia (Frank) Haaparanta , William (Hilja Kangas), Aarne Henry, Andreas, Matti, Elina (Leif) Binde, Frans, Nestor, Fanny (Waino) Rasanen, Sadie Strehlow, Elma, Arne, Lillian (John) Bozinski, and Vernon (Kay Ivesdahl).
Surviving family include devoted daughter Sharon Perna and her children Craig (Karine Boyaval) Buechler, Chad Buechler, Cathy (Brandon) Tollefson, and Barrett (Dana Dills) Buechler and grandchildren Lola, Sophie, Kylie and Ellie. Also their son Sherrill Pete Perna’s children Troy, Darin (Nancy Hochstatter), JaNae, Nikki Carlin, and Angie Johnson and grandchildren Tanner Hundahl, Jenavieve Santoya, Jesse, Rhett, Rylie, Jordan Carlin, and Trevor Orr. Also sister-in-laws Vida Hoeke and Emeline Perna, and brother-in-laws Marvin Perna, Harold Snethen, and Gordon Dykhoff. Also left grieving are adoring nieces and nephews and other relatives and dear friends.
Mayme will be laid to rest at Bay Pines National Cemetery in St. Petersburg at a later date alongside her loving husband Vernon and dear son Sherrill Pete with a celebration of her amazing life and legacy of endearing love and joyful nature.
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