Obituary of Henry Finnern

Henry Herman Finnern died on April 7, 2015, at the Hartley, Iowa Community Memorial Health Center. He was 95 years old. A funeral service is being held at Saint Paul's Lutheran Church, Hartley, IA, with burial at the Saint Paul's Lutheran Church Cemetery in Rost Township, MN. Henry was born on the family farm in Sioux Valley, MN to Herman and Catharina (Schnieder) Finnern on December 1, 1919, and was baptized at Trinity Lutheran Church in Sioux Valley, MN. After graduating from high school, Henry helped on the farm until enlisting in the United States Army Air Force following the Japanese invasion of Pearl Harbor. He trained to become a C-47 pilot earning his wings in Lubbock, TX. On February 25, 1943, he was united in marriage to Carmelita Rients at Saint Paul's Lutheran Church in Rost Township. On July, 1943, he deployed with the 63rd Troop Carrier Squadron to the Southwest Pacific. For the next 16 months he flew soldiers, supplies and equipment in support of combat forces, and air evacuated wounded personnel throughout the Solomon Islands. Following service in the Army, Henry and Carmelita returned to the farm in Sioux Valley. The couple farmed for 20 years and then moved the family to Lakefield, MN. In the years that followed, Henry worked for Jenkins Trucking Company, Sheppman Construction, and Berkley Manufacturing. He loved to drive and spent the last 14 years before retirement driving over-the-road for Sather Cookie Company and working at their distribution center in Round Lake, MN. Carmelita, Henry's wife of 41 years, passed away in 1984. He married Donna Roeder from Kansas in 1996. She passed away in 2009. In 2011, Henry, along with other WWII veterans, participated in the Brushy Creek Honor Flight from Ft Dodge, IA, traveling to Washington D.C. to visit the World War II Memorial…a trip he thoroughly enjoyed. Henry is survived by his children: Donna (Raphael) Ahlers of Hartley, IA and her twin brother, Donald (Judy) Finnern of Waseca MN, Henry (Ruth) Finnern of Mankato MN, Terry (Lynette) Finnern of Alexandria MN, Marjean (Paul) Skoog of Eden Prairie MN, Michael (Lois) Finnern of Burke VA; grandchildren: Shelly, Steven and Scott of VA, Christa of Vermont, Brady of MN, Dawna of MN, and Shaun of CA; seven great-grandchildren; sisters: Ella Steinbeck of Rochester, MN and Helen Husen of Osseo, MN; sister-in-law, Alice (Earle) Yager of Idaho and many other cousins, nieces, nephews and friends. He was preceded in death by parents, Herman and Catharina Finnern; infant son, Robert Finnern; grandson, Ryan Finnern; brothers: Adolph, Arthur and Meinhardt; and sisters: Martha, Edna and Clara. Celebration of Life Henry H. Finnern Born ~ December 1, 1919 Died ~ April 7, 2015 Age ~ 95 years 4 months 6 days Funeral Service Saturday, April 11, 2015 ~ 10:30 a.m. St. Paul's Lutheran Church Hartley, Iowa Officiating ~ Pastor Jesse Burns Terry Finnern Organist ~ Patty Treimer Congregational Singing Processional ~ "Abide With Me" "Just As I Am" "On My Heart Imprint Your Image" Recessional ~ "Jesus, Lover Of My Soul" Pallbearers Grandsons Steven Finnern Scott Finnern Brady Finnern Shaun Skoog Nephews David Roslansky Bruce Rients Ushers Duane Kolpin ~ Scott Heetland Military Graveside Rites Hanson Ward VFW Post #4743 American Legion Post #4 Lakefield, Minnesota Burial St. Paul's Lutheran Cemetery Lakefield, Minnesota <iframe id="tukios_player_512x330" allowfullscreen="true" allowtransparency="true" frameborder="0" height="330" scrolling="no" src="https://www.tributeslides.com/videos/embedded_video/M2JT2DX8L8QNWD2X" width="512"></iframe>