Karl E. Seppala

Karl Ernest Seppala of Minneapolis passed away peacefully at their home in Crystal on January 5, 2020 at 1:15pm, surrounded by wife and some family.

Karl was a man of few words and his very own sense of humor. He tried hard to appear tough on the outside, but was soft on the inside. He was a deep thinker and even deals cost money. This is the man that we loved.

Karl was born in Laurium, Mich. to Ernest and Lempi Seppala on September 1, 1927. They moved to Ironwood, Mich. where he went to school and graduated from Luther L. Wright High School.

Karl enlisted in the US Army on September 18, 1946.  His unit was HQ Army Security Europe and he was deployed to Frankfurt Germany for 8 months as a T-5 Cryptographic Technician and was certified as a M-1 Rifle Sharp Shooter.  While there he earned the Army of Occupation Medal World War II Victory Medal and on February 2, 1948 earned an honorable discharge.

He continued on his education by earning a Liberal Arts degree from Suomi College, aka Finlandia University in June of 1950, and a Bachelor of Arts degree at Northern Michigan College of Education, aka Northern Michigan University in January of 1953.

After college he moved to Minneapolis into an apartment with some guys. He then found the love of his life. Karl was married to Inez Siltala on June 4, 1955 in Sebeka, Minn. The newlyweds moved to Minneapolis start a family and he worked at Dearborn Motors.

In 1957 the new family moved to Marquette, Mich. were he worked 5 years in the stores of the Pearce Hardware and Furniture Co. and also served as Asset Secretary on the board. Dad wanted to use his schooling, so he ventured with the family back to Minneapolis. He found his niche in life started his career working at Twin City Federal Saving and Loan. He worked there until 1984 when he was forced to take an early retirement.  He then went to work for Norwest Mortgage Corporation, aka Wells Fargo Home Mortgage as a Direct Endorsement Underwriter and fully retired in 1989.

They have lived in Crystal, Minn. raising the family for the past 57 years.  After retirement, summers were spent at their beloved place in Rabbit Bay on lovely Lake Superior.

Preceding him in death were his parents, Ernest and Lempi Seppala; brother-in-law, Earl Keskey; one step great-grandchild.

Karl is survived by his wife, Inez of Crystal, Minn.; three children: Loren (Geraldine) of Tioga, N.D.; John (Lori) of Buffalo, Minn.; Kari (Leslie) Halonen of Greenfield, Minn.; 15 grandchildren; 5 step grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren, 49 step great-grandchildren, and his only sister, Rhita Keskey of Sebeka, Minn.