Henna Granvik

Obituary of Henna Granvik

Henna Sivia Granvik (nee Pahkakangas), 90; passed away April 27, 2022. Henna, daughter of Hanna and Antti Oskari Pahkakangas, was born in Evijarvi, Finland, September 6,1931. Shortly after marrying Martin Granvik, she immigrated to the United States in 1958 at age 26. She and Martin settled in Waukegan, where they built their own home in 1967. They lived there until retirement, and then split their time between Lake Worth Florida and Waukegan. Henna helped raise their daughter Helen and son Steve by cleaning houses. After losing her young son Steve at age 12, she became an American citizen and worked for St. Therese Hospital for 10 years. Always a hard worker, Henna loved to entertain, cook dinners for friends, bake, craft, sew, knit, and garden. Her hands were endlessly busy. She was thrilled to shepherd her 2 grandsons Kurt and Micky through their childhoods and whom they affectionately call mummu. She would bake pulla, a Finnish coffeebread every week, a delicious treat for family, friends, and neighbors. She was generous, kind, and strong willed. She was the embodiment of the Finnish national character, “sisu”. Henna is survived by her daughter Helen; son-in-law Glenn Collins; grandsons Kurt and Michael (Micky); siblings in Finland, sisters Sisko and Siiri, and brother Henry. Preceded in death are her husband, Martin; son Steve; in Finland brothers, Veikko, Viljo and Vilho; sisters Impi, Eeva, and Aila; granddaughter-in-law Beatriz Ramos Dos Santos. Services will be private for the family. Her final resting place will be at Northshore Garden of Memories in North Chicago, IL.
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