Mr. Martin D. Maki, 89, of Annandale died Tuesday, May 22, 2001 at the Annandale Care Center.
Funeral services were held Tuesday, May 29, at the Fort Snelling Chapel, Minneapolis with Rev. John Cummins officiating. Memorials are preferred to the Annandale Care Center, the family is very grateful for the care and concern given to Martin by the Annandale Care Center and the Annandale community.
He is survived by his four children, Maria Maki of Annandale, Donald Maki of Mound, Larry Maki of Blaine, David Maki of Minneapolis, three grandchildren, Jered Becker of Austin, Texas, Heidi Becker of Minneapolis, Nicholas Maki of Blaine, one great-granddaughter, Cheyenne Becker of Minneapolis.
His wife, sister, Martha Hackman, and brother, Arvo Maki preceded him in death.
Martin D. Maki was born July 4, 1911 in Newberry, MI to David and Suoma (Saari) Maki. He married Harriet Peterson in 1944 in Lawton, Okla., and they lived together for 44 years until her death on August 10, 1988. At an early age he became an activist and was on the board of director’s of the Tyomies Finnish Newspaper for many years. He was an active participant in the Mesabi Co-op Park. The Country of Spain awarded Martin full voluntary citizenship on November 4, 1996 in recognition of his participation in the Spanish Civil War. He joined the International Brigade in July of 1936 and was a member of both the Washington and Lincoln battalions. He was captured by the Italians at Gandesa in April of 1938 and was sent to San Pedro De Cardenas prison camp. He was released a year later and returned to the United States May 6, 1939 on the S.S. Harding. Martin enlisted in the United States Army in May of 1942 and returned to Europe in Company 1, 166th Infantry. One of his last orders was to dismantle a concentration camp in Linz, Austria. He was given an honorable discharge on January 10, 1946. He said his greatest relief was to see the defeat of Hitler. The Carpenter’s Local Union #1644 presented Martin with a 50-year certificate and lifetime membership in the United Brotherhood of Carpenter and Joiner’s of America in April of 1998.