Signe Aho

Signe (Nikkari) Aho was born to a Finnish farm family, April 28, 1921 in Sebeka, MN.  Signe passed into her Savior, Jesus Christ’s presence on July 17, 2020.  She attended grade school and graduated from Sebeka high school in 1939.  Signe received a teaching diploma from Duluth State Teachers College.  She taught at two county schools, Hay Creek and Davies.  She was very active in the area 4-H activities and won 1st Place in the Minnesota bread-baking contest at the Minnesota State Fair in 1945.  She was rewarded with a trip to the National 4-H Club Congress held in Chicago, IL.

Signe married Orville Aho, an ordained pastor of the National Evangelical Lutheran Synod on June 15, 1947.   Their ministry took them to Thunder Bay, Ontario (1947-1954), Virginia, MN (1954-1960), Toronto, Ontario (1960-1965) and to Buffalo, NY with the Lutheran Service Society (1965-1978).  In 1978 they moved back to their home State of Minnesota, living in Walker, MN where she was involved in doing volunteer work and visitation at the Ah Gwah Ching nursing Home.  After her husband’s retirement as a Chaplain, they moved to Baxter, MN (1998).

Signe and Orville were blessed with four children, Suzanne Aho of St. Cloud, MN, Brian Aho and wife Debbie of Brainerd MN, Mary Jane Slowinski and husband, Mike of Harrisonburg, VA and Michael Aho and wife Donna of Fargo ND.  Signe loved and enjoyed her six grandchildren, Shawn, Scott and Eric Slowinski, Rachel and Travis Aho, and Elizabeth Deeren and five great grandchildren, Chase Slowinski, Caleb and Corinna Derren, Carter Hicks and Mason Aho.

Signe was very active in congregational work, loved to crochet, and had beautiful flower gardens at all of her homes.  She used her gifts of service, hospitality, cooking and gardening to bring joy to many.  Signe was an avid sports fan and loved her Minnesota Twins and Vikings.   With her husband, she enjoyed traveling and visited many of the states in America, several foreign countries and enjoyed salmon fishing in Alaska.

Preceding Signe in death were her parents, Matt and Elizabeth (Kevila) Nikkari, her sisters Helmi Lofback, Mae Koski, Lillian Lorentz, Mildred Pierson and Linda Paavola, and brothers, Albert, Eino, Charles, and Albin Nikkari.

Funeral services with required masks will be held at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Baxter, MN on Tuesday, July 21 at 2:00pm with visitation starting at 1:15pm.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial gifts be directed to either Prince of Peace Lutheran Church or the ministry of Developing and Shepherding International.

The Aho Family would like to express their deep gratitude for the loving and compassionate care Signe received from Heartland Hospice, Northern Lakes Assisted Living and Dr. Julie Olson.

Funeral arrangements are being handled by Brenny Family Funeral Chapel in Baxter, MN

Link for Funeral Service:

https://m.facebook.com/events/3084535634933055?acontext=%7B%22ref%22%3A%223%22%2C%22action_history%22%3A%22null%22%7D&aref=3

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