Elfriede (Ugi) Manner
SKANDIA, MI – Elfriede Ugi Manner, 100, of Skandia, passed away Friday, April 17, 2026, at UP Health System-Marquette.
She was born April 16, 1926, in Ardla Village, Estonia, on the island of Saaremaa, in the Baltic Sea, the only child of Alexsei and Elizaveta (Ansperi) Ugi. She was raised in Estonia until the Russian Occupation of her country in 1944 during WWII. Her family fled to Germany and then to the Dresden Slave Labor Camp until the war ended in 1945. She met her future husband, Aimo Manner, a US soldier at an end of war dance. The couple married on December 29, 1945 in Kessel, Germany. Aimo returned to the United States and Elfriede joined him months later.
Elfriede worked for many years as a cook at the Skandia School and then at NMU.
She could sew anything. She loved gardening, flowers, farming and helping family members with buying and selling property.
Elfriede is survived by three children, Linda Baiel of Iron Mountain, Susan (Nick) Hautamaki of Skandia and Lee (Rosemary) Manner of Naples, FL; grandchildren, Shannon (Liane) Baiel, Nathaniel Baiel, Natasha, Nicholas (Colleen) Hautamaki, Derrick Hautamaki, Selena (Evan) Potila, Aleksei and Makaela Manner; many great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Aimo Manner; mother and father-in-law, Hilja & Felix Manner; sisters-in-law, Esther, Bertha and Gertrude; brother-in-law, Charles.
In 1978 Nick promised Aimo that he would care for Elfriede and he kept his promise.
Thanks to our children and their spouses for all their care and Linda Baiel. Elfriede’s family would like to thank Skandia Township First Responders and UPHS Ambulance for the care they provided.
Visitation will be held on Wednesday, April 29, 2026 from 3:30 to 4:30 pm at Fassbender Swanson Hansen Funeral and Cremation Services. A funeral service will be held at 4:30 and a luncheon will follow the service in the funeral home. Interment will take place in Emmanuel Lutheran Cemetery.
Elfriede’s service will be livestreamed at https://my.gather.app/remember/elfriede-manner
Memories of Elfriede may be shared at fassbenderswansonhansen.com