Steven Nurmela

Born in Marquette on September 7, 1954, son of the late Gladys Geraldine (Nopola) Nurmela and Peter Marcus Nurmela. His childhood home and schooling took place in Ishpeming where he graduated with the class of 1972.

During the Vietnam era he chose to enter the United States Navy. He was taught to be an electrician, a profession that would carry though his remaining careers. Exiting the Navy he worked for Cleveland Cliffs, KI Sawyer, MSHA and A. Lindberg & Sons. Highly successful at this work, in the end these were all just jobs, a necessary requirement of life. He retired from a working career at the age of 59 where he was able to dedicate more of his time to woodworking, reading, gardening and tinkering. While in the Navy he married his high school sweetheart, love of his life, and wife of nearly 49 years Deanna Lynn Nurmela.

What brought him the most joy in life was spending time with his wife, his kids and his grandkids. He had a large family and an extensive community of friends. Easy to talk to and an ardent listener, even though hard of hearing. When you were with him you were all that mattered. Confident, charismatic, outgoing, and extremely loud. He had an innate ability to motivate others when they were not ready for it. If you came to him with a question and he didn’t have an answer he would make something up and answer you anyway. He was so well practiced with this spontaneous problem-solving style that it was always more correct in the end and faster than not.

He liked to build. He built his home, he built his summer camp, he built his hunting camp, he built his furniture, he built a building that he used to build this stuff in. The standard construction method he employed was easy to identify. A main structure with many layered expansions, commonly covered in a facade of rotary milled lumber cut from his grandfather’s mill that he grew up with of which he later setup for his own. This strategy indicated nothing seemed to him to be complete, it all required upgrades and changes as time went on. He was in a constant cycle of improvement. He was a doer. He didn’t mull around.

Those who knew him would often stop by to visit or to work in his shop. The experience of being with him rummaging about in minor tasks or idle chatting was a simple and honest form of living to the extent that some would consider it therapy. He would freely work for those he knew, for his friends, for his family, for only the brief satisfaction that his effort would coax out even the tiniest smile or hint of happiness. This extreme work ethic is what we believe caused his downfall, his big heart was used to the extent it could no longer maintain his ambitions.

He died in the place that held deep meaning to him, quickly, on a flawless fall day. He never became an old man, he never lost his memories, he never lost the ability to give others what they needed. For years he would tell his family that this is the way he wanted to go, wear out his body to the end of his days and never allow it to waste away, he finally got his wish.

As we watched the northern lights the evening of his passing, we felt his entry into heaven where he was greeted by family members that preceded him. We have been blessed by this most wonderful mans talent, abundant love, compassion and genuine kindness. Perhaps, because of the impact he had on so many, in his death these qualities that defined his life will pass on to those that knew him best. Doing so, the essence of his spirit will remain alive, and he is never truly gone.

Survivors include his wife Deanna Lynn (Olgren) Nurmela, a daughter Erica (Amit Sahrawat) Nurmela of Skokie, IL; a son, Brian (Tara Miller) Nurmela of Wakefield, 4 grandchildren, Meera and Devin Sahrawat, Elise and Meredith Nurmela, an older brother David (Betsy) Nurmela of Burnsville, MN, a sister, Catherine (Sandra Strohm) Nurmela of Grand Beach and a younger brother James (Beverly) Nurmela of Denver, PA; sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, Marsha Nurmela, Nancy (Miles) Mattson, Wanda (Gary) Dolkey, Anita (Edward) Sandberg, Lisa (Dave Vogt) Olgren along with numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by a brother, Donald Nurmela, his parents and his grandparents.

The family will greet relatives and friends from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, October 26, 2024, at the Bethel Lutheran Church in Ishpeming. A memorial service will follow at 12:00 p.m. with the Rev. Tim Johnston to officiate. Military Honors will be accorded by the United States Navy at the conclusion of the services. A luncheon will follow the services in the church hall. “In the end, it’s not the years in your life that count; it’s the life in your years.” -Abraham Lincoln