Richard L. Tuura

Richard Leonard “Dicky” Tuura,94, of Brule, passed away on Tuesday, April 25th, 2023, at Twin Ports Health Services in Superior, WI. He was born on April 22, 1929, to John W. and Lydia (Koski) Tuura. He died as he often lived, holding the hand of his sweetheart and wife of 70 years, Barbara (Johnson) Tuura, and holding true to his tendency to live every day to the fullest.

Dicky attended Waino Elementary School. At age 14, rather than attending high school, he and his brother Norman took over driving pulp trucks for their father’s logging operation when his older brothers went off to serve in WWII. While threshing oats for a neighboring farm, Richard was served lunch by the farmer’s daughter, Barbara. It was love at first sight. They were married on November 8th, 1952, in Maple, WI. Their marriage was blessed with seven children, 24 grandchildren, and 30 great-grandchildren.

Richard worked hard his whole life and there was not a machine he could not operate. Besides logging and farming for his father, he hauled gravel for Eino Ruska, drove a milk truck for Arrowhead Milk, and operated heavy equipment for McLean’s Trucking and Lakehead Constructors. He and Barbara owned a dairy farm in Waino and harvested balsam boughs every year, for 62 years.

Dicky was everyone’s favorite. He was a kind, giving, and gentle giant with many talents and interests. He enjoyed hunting and fishing with his children and grandchildren, spending time at the cabin, and vegetable gardening. He was known for his massive, “guess-how-big-it-is” pumpkins, which he donated to local schools. Richard was the original “Earth Day” man, planting thousands of trees and re-using everything. Being a mechanically inclined tinkerer, he carved log sculptures with a chainsaw, welded metal sculptures from old machine parts, and even invented the “Finnish Remote Control.” If he needed a tool or gadget to complete a task but did not have one, he would just make one himself. Always ready with a story or joke (and unable to pass up a donut or cookie), he enjoyed coffee time with friends and family, and often taught them Finnish (and Finnglish) words, phrases, and songs. As his health ailed, he enjoyed riding around the old neighborhood of Tar Paper Alley, Camp One, Tuura’s Landing, Waino Rock, and the Port Wing Marina. After his recent birthday party, he simply wished, “Tell everyone Thank You.”

He was a member of the Independent Apostolic Lutheran Church in Oulu, WI, the Operating Engineers Local #139, and the National Farmers Organization. He was also the sexton for Ever-Rest Cemetery in Waino for many years.

He is survived by his wife Barbara; children Debra (Mike) Ollanketo of Marengo, WI, Ricky (Doris) Tuura of Oulu, WI, Jody Tuura of Superior, Brenda (Ernie) Nelson of Hastings, MN, Dennis Tuura of Brule, WI, Melissa (Peter) Tuura-Johnson of Somerset, WI; daughter-in-law Jayne Tuura of Oulu; sister Mary Ann Gronquist of South Range; as well as many grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.

He is preceded in death by his son Dale Tuura; an infant granddaughter Alyssa Mischke; great grandson Dylan Ollanketo; infant great-granddaughters Alyssa Raivala and Viona Steger; as well as his parents, sister Norma Lind, and older brothers Willard, Eugene, and Norman Tuura.

The family wishes to thank Twin Ports Health Services for the exceptional care provided to our dear “Uncle Dicky.”

A Visitation will be held at 12:00 PM, on Saturday, April 29, 2023, at the Independent Apostolic Lutheran Church, 3863 South County Road F, Maple, WI, and will continue until the 2:00 PM Funeral Service with Minister Rick Salmela officiating.

Burial will be at the Waino Ever-Rest Cemetery at a later date.

Lenroot-Maetzold Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements. To send a condolence or sign the online guest book, visit their website at www.lenroot-maetzold.com .