Michael L. Korpela

Funeral Mass for Michael Louis Korpela, 62, of Aurora, will be 10am Monday, July 11, 2016 at Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Aurora with Fr. Steven Daigle as celebrant. Visitation will be one hour prior to mass at the church. Burial will be in the Forest Hill Cemetery in Aurora. Arrangements by Ziemer-Moeglein-Shatava Funeral Home in Aurora. Michael died Tuesday, July 5, 2016 at Essentia Health – St. Mary’s Medical Center in Duluth, Minnesota. He was born September 4, 1953 in Eveleth, Minnesota to William and Pauline (Longar) Korpela. Mike was a 1971 graduate of Aurora-Hoyt Lakes High School and attended Mesabi Community College. Later, he studied marketing at Moorhead State University. On June 15, 1978 he married Terri Christianson in Hoyt Lakes. Mike worked as a heavy equipment operator for the City of Aurora for nearly 35 years. He retired in 2009. Mike was a member of the Aurora Volunteer Fire Department where he served as Chief for nearly 30 years. He also served as an EMT in Aurora and was a volunteer ambulance driver for the Hoyt Lakes Ambulance. Mike was a member of Holy Rosary Catholic Church and a former member of the Aurora Cemetery Board. Mike enjoyed playing guitar and listening to music. He was an avid outdoorsman who enjoyed hunting, fishing and had an obsession for splitting wood. Survivors include his wife, Terri; sons: Ryan (Heather) of Saginaw and Eric of Aurora; daughter, Jenna (Erik) Vosejpka of Lonsdale; grandchildren: Jack, Max, Kaylee, Aubrey and one expected grandchild; mother, Pauline Korpela of Aurora; brother, David (Cheryl) Korpela of Stillwater; several nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his father, William and a brother, Danny in infancy.