Twyla Dawn (Rautio) Hepola

Twyla Dawn (Rautio) Hepola, age 57, who made her home with her husband on Duck Lake, northeast of Menahga, peacefully passed on Sunday, June 14, 2015 at the Green Pine Acres Nursing Home of Menahga following a valiant battle against cancer.
Twyla was born on September 19,1957 in Wadena to Ernest and Bertha (Bay) Aho (Rautio). She grew to womanhood and attended public schools in Sebeka. She was united in marriage to Paul Hepola on September 2, 1982 in Sebeka. She and Paul made a good team. She was a wonderful cook and baker and loved to make Paul homemade breads, blueberry pies and all kinds of jellies and fruit sauces. Twyla had a green thumb and enjoyed raising beautiful flowers into colorful splendor and her vegetable garden into abundant fruition which she would preserve to feed her family healthfully. In 1998, she and Paul designed and built their dream home on the shell river. She worked right along side Paul in clearing their land and building the driveway. She and Paul did all the interior work including building her kitchen to her exacting specifications and detail. Since 1993 , Twyla has worked along side Paul in the daily operation of their own construction company which has taken them to work sites throughout Minnesota, the Dakotas, Wisconsin and beyond. Over the years, Twyla enjoyed fishing both over ice or in the boat with Paul. She loved the water and enjoyed spending time swimming in Duck Lake as well. Twyla also loved to play a competitive round or two of horseshoes whenever time allowed. Above all, Twyla treasured the times she and Paul could just spend time relaxing at their wonderful home, or out on the lake or with her son, Shane and her precious grandchildren.
She will be lovingly remembered by her husband and soul mate, Paul; her son, Shane (Claudia) Hepola; her six grandchildren: Alec, Austin, Akira, Joshua, Sammy and Jacob. Her sister, Rosemary (Carl Calistro) Simpson. As well as other relatives and many friends.
Twyla was preceded in death by her mother, Bertha (Bay) Aho; her father, Ernest Rautio and her sister, Tammy Ruelas.
Graveside services will be held 4 PM Saturday, June 27, 2015 at the HayCreek Cemetery near Sebeka.