Eero A. Hakkila

1931 - 2019

It is with great sadness that the family of Dr. Eero Arnold Hakkila, known affectionately as "Arnie" to his friends and family, announce his passing on November 10, 2018, at age 87 after a battle with cancer. He died lovingly surrounded by his family. Arnie was born on his family's farm in Canterbury, Connecticut, on August 4, 1931. He grew up on the farm and was educated in Canterbury's one-room schools. He graduated from Griswold High School in Jewett City with the Class of 1949 and obtained a bachelor's degree from the Teacher's College of Connecticut (now known as Central Connecticut State University). Arnie went on to earn his Ph.D. in nuclear chemistry from Ohio State University. Upon graduating, Arnie and his family moved to Los Alamos, New Mexico, where he began a long career working for Los Alamos National Laboratories. Over the years he received many distinguished awards from LANL as well as international recognition (e.g., Who's Who in the West and American Men of Science) and was eventually promoted to group leader of the International Nuclear Safeguards Division. One of the high points of his career was as a member of the United Nations International Atomic Energy Agency's nuclear weapons inspection team in Iraq following the first Gulf War. In 1985 he met the love of his life, Margaret, whom he married in 1988. They lived in Los Alamos until Arnie's retirement from LANL and retired to Tonto Verde, Arizona, where they golfed and spent time relaxing with friends and family. Arnie is preceded in death by his father Jack Hakkila, his mother Ida Lillquist Hakkila, and his sisters Elaine Wurster and S. Irene Autio. He is survived by his wife Margaret B Hakkila, his siblings, Aili Galasyn of Canterbury, Anita Smiley of Preston, and Jack O. Hakkila of Anchorage, Alaska; his sons, Jon Hakkila (Fahn) of Charleston, SC, Mark Hakkila (Cynthia of Las Cruces, NM), and Gregg Hakkila of Las Vegas, NV; his step children Anne Sterrett (Bill), Lynn Henton, Jimmy Bishop, and Mel Bishop, 12 grandchildren, and 4 great-grandchildren. The family held a private memorial service. Memorial donations may be made to Central Connecticut State University to support students interested in studying chemistry.