The following obituary is from the July 3, 2008 print edition of the Chaska Herald newspaper:
Linnea C. Sumi
Linnea Sumi, formerly of Edina, passed away peacefully on Saturday, June 28, 2008, her 90th birthday, at Auburn Manor Nursing Home in Chaska.
Linnea Sumi
The oldest of four children born to John and Alma Carlson, Linnea was raised in Nashwauk, Minn., where she played trumpet in the high school band and participated on the girls’ swim team. She met her husband Ernest there and married him while he was on leave from service in the U.S. Navy during W.W.II.
She carried with her the small-town virtues of community, loyalty and friendship when they moved to Edina and raised two children, John and Jane. In the early 1950s, Linnea was one of the earliest members of Edina Community Lutheran Church, where she continued to stay active throughout most of her life. She served as Sunday school superintendent, sang in the choir, led various committees and hosted social events at her home. In the early 1980s, Linnea served on the board of South Haven, a new senior citizens high-rise apartment building project sponsored by her church and HUD. She was also active in Athena Women’s Club, serving as president, and helped organize class reunions for Nashwauk High School for several years. Linnea stayed active in her church life and enjoyed music, concerts, gardening and social events until Alzheimer’s took its terrible toll over the past 10 years.
Linnea was preceded in death by husband, Ernest; son, John; sisters, Elaine Finckler and Linda Bevacqua. She is survived by daughter, Jane and her husband Paul Shefveland (Chaska); grandsons, Scott (Boulder, Colo.) and Christopher (Columbus, Ohio); great-grandson, Andrew (Bettsville, Ohio); brother, Lennart Carlson (Dora) of Naples, Fla.; several nieces and nephews. She will be sadly missed by friends and family for her cheerful, energetic spirit and willingness to help.
Funeral services are Wednesday, July 2, at 11 a.m. at Edina Community Lutheran Church, Edina, with the Rev. Erik Strand officiating.
Memorials preferred to Alzheimer’s Association or Edina Community Lutheran Church.
Funeral arrangements were with the Bertas Funeral Home, Chaska. 952-448-2137.