Onni Oswald ‘Ozzie’ Salmi

Ozzie was born at the Salmi farm in Eben Junction, Michigan on May 12, 1927 to Andrew and Maria (Myllyla) Salmi. Growing up on the farm, Ozzie helped with chores and enjoyed playing baseball and basketball at the hippodrome. He attended high school in Eben and on March 17, 1945, he enlisted into the U.S. Navy. Ozzie served aboard the supply ship General Randall in the Philippines during WWII. He earned the WWII Victory Medal, American Area Campaign Medal and Asiatic Pacific Area Campaign Medal. Ozzie was discharged on July 10, 1946 and returned home. He graduated from Eben High School. Ozzie continued to help at the farm, worked as a carpenter, and he owned and operated the Sinclair gas station in Eben. He then went to work for the Mather B Mine in Negaunee and retired from the Tilden Mine. Ozzie met the love of his life, Norma Jean Ihamaki, and they were married on August 7, 1954. Their first home was in Chatham and then they resided in Rumely where they raised their family on their small farm. In his free time, Ozzie enjoyed logging, fishing on Lake Superior, cutting lumber on his personal sawmill, and traveled to Florida and Finland. Ozzie and Norma were married fifty-eight years when she preceded him in death on January 9, 2014.

Ozzie is survived by his five children – Jeanne Salmi (Robert Dagenais) of Marquette, Joanne Anderson (Joe Perrault) of Negaunee, Keith Salmi of Rumely, Kristine (Michael) Praznik of Trenary, and Andrew (Leanne) Salmi of Trenary; grandchildren – Alisha (Dustin) Luoma, Eric Anderson, Ryan Praznik (Rae Radig), Lucas (Ellyn) Praznik, Aaron Salmi (Paige Charboneau), Alexis Salmi, Misty Weeks and Natalia Salmi; great-grandchildren – Xander, Autumn, Trenton, Mia, Oliver, Danica, and Nora; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, beloved wife Norma, brothers Leslie, Eugene, Sulo, and Kaino, and sisters Edith, Signe and Sinikka “Cindy”.

Services will be held at the Sion Lutheran Church in Chatham on Saturday, January 6, 2018. Visiting time with family and friends will be from 10:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. Pastor Paul Kelto will conduct Ozzie’s funeral service at 12:00 noon. Interment will be at the Pine Grove Cemetery in Chatham in the spring of 2018 where the American Legion and Vietnam Veteran Honor Guard will conduct military honors.

The family would like to thank the staff on One West Jacobetti Veterans Facility for their compassionate and loving care of Ozzie.

ONNI SALMI

His obituary and online guestbook may be viewed and signed at bowermanfuneralhome.net