Vilho A. Majonen

Vilho A. Majonen 1936 - 2009 GUILFORD Vilho Antero Majonen, 73, died at his home in Guilford, surrounded by his family, on Monday, April 6, 2009 after a long battle with multiple myeloma. He was born in Sortavala, in the former Finnish province of Karelia, on April 6, 1936, son of Hilma Juvonen Majonen and Eino Olavi Majonen. During the Winter War between Russia and Finland Vilho's family was forced to evacuate, and he was sent to Sweden to live with a foster family. After the war was over, Karelia was ceded to Russia, so Vilho returned to Oulu, Finland, to live with his reunited family. When he was sixteen, Vilho travelled to America on the M.S. Stockholm to work on his uncle's chicken farm in Moosup, Conn. He entered the Army in 1956 and served as a weapons instructor at Fort Dix and Fort Bragg. He was also stationed in Berlin, Germany, for two years. After he returned to Moosup he met his first wife, Lisa Oja, and they married in 1961. He and Lisa had two children, John and Jorma. From the 1960's through the 1980's, Vilho worked as a carpenter, building contractor, and roofer, and, most recently until his retirement, Vilho was the caretaker at the Windham-Tolland 4-H Camp in Pomfret, Conn. In 1984, he married Ellen Inkeri Slonski, the love of his life, and they had 16 wonderful years of marriage. In 2001 Vilho had the opportunity to visit his homeland of Finland, where he was able to see his mother and his siblings for the first time in 50 years. In 2002 Vilho moved to Guilford to live with his son, John, and his family. He leaves his family in Guilford, his son, John Majonen, and daughter-in-law, Elly Majonen; his grandchildren, Emma and Megan Majonen, and his beloved cats, Lucky and Mama, and dog, Kaija. He also leaves a step-daughter, Judy Rivers of Mansfield, Conn., and her boys, Justin and Jordan Mongeau, daughter, Liliana Baraybar and husband, Bill Rivers; Vilho's first wife, Lisa Liiamaa, and step-son, John Liiamaa of Taos, N.M.; brothers, Pertti, Martti and wife, Kerttu, Tapani and his wife, Tuula, and Harri and his wife, Sirpa Majonen, all of Finland; brother, Jorma and his wife, Berit Olafson of Sweden; sisters, Helka and her husband, Juhani Joensuu, Terttu and her husband, Taisto Orava, Airi and her husband, Olavi Tuovinen, and Maire and her husband, Seppo Mahlakaarto also of Finland; his foster sister, Gun-Marie and her husband, Kjell Lundgren, of Sweden, and many nieces and nephews. Vilho was predeceased by his wife, Ellen, and by his son, Jorma Majonen. MEMORIAL NOTICE: A celebration of Vilho's life will be held at Guilford Community Church in Guilford on Wednesday, April 8, 2009, at 5 p.m. A reception will follow with the family in the Rosa Zeller Hall downstairs. An additional gathering will take place in Connecticut at a later date. Vilho's ashes will be interred in Carey Cemetery in Canterbury, Conn. Special thanks to the Brattleboro Memorial Hospital Oncology staff, the Visiting Nurse Association, Brattleboro Area Hospice, and Eternal Blessings Cremation Service of Guilford. Charitable contributions may be made in Vilho's memory to Brattleboro Area Hospice or to the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation.