Roy F. Soronen went to the Lord peacefully from his home on August 15, 2006. He was born January 17, 1938 in Boston Location in Calumet, MI to parents Yalmer and Helen (Isola) Soronen. As a young child he moved to Miami, Arizona and later returned to Bruce Crossing, Michigan where he lived until adulthood. In 1955 he joined the United States Air Force and received his basic training in Amarillo, Texas and was stationed at Parks AFB in California.

On June 30, 1956 he married Eleanor Sironen in the First Lutheran Church of Ewen, Michigan where he had been a life long member. They were blessed to have celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary this year. After their marriage, Roy and Eleanor moved to the territory of Fairbanks, Alaska where he proudly served in the U.S. Air Force from 1955 to 1959 at LADD AFB. Roy often spoke of the many fine people he and Eleanor met while living in Alaska. He treasured his many memories of Alaska and loved to talk about his fishing trips with his Air Force buddies and the Eskimo men that taught him how to fish for salmon. After his honorable discharge from the service, he and Eleanor drove home from Alaska. He often reminisced about that trip and the many sites they saw and the people they met. Roy and Eleanor moved to Kenosha, Wisconsin where he worked for American Motors. Roy retired in 1999 from SC Johnson Corporate Headquarters in Racine, Wisconsin as an electrician. He spoke proudly of his 32 years with SCJ and continued to share an interest in the future of the company even after his retirement.

In his younger years Roy learned to scuba dive and was proud to say he was taught by John Steele, one of the most well known divers of the great lakes. Roy was a member of the team of divers that first discovered the SS Wisconsin. He also dove with them on Lake Huron, Superior and Michigan. Over the years he enjoyed sharing the adventures of finding these shipwrecks. The Cedarville, located in the Mackinaw straights was another dive story he loved to share. Roy loved to dive, hunt and fish but his true passion was people. He was kind and generous and had a heart full of compassion for the less fortunate and wasn't afraid to show it. He could often be seen at the local farmers markets, grocery stores and rummage sales. Roy always had a project or two in the works. Whether it was fixing an elderly persons eye glasses or rewiring a lamp, he simply enjoyed helping people. He was a farmer at heart and loved canning and pickling fruits and vegetables. He truly loved large family gatherings and made sure his kids grew up knowing all their relatives. Whether he was in his back yard for a cookout or in Upper Michigan, family and friends were his life.

Roy deeply loved his wife and family. He leaves behind his wife Eleanor, children Cindy and Jimbo Jorgensen, Kimra and Jim Moore, Pamela and Bill Fowler, Sheri and John Baumgartner and his son Jeffery Roy Soronen. His joy was his grandchildren, Katherine and Micah Montondo, Riika Jorgensen and her fiancAC. W. Emmett Carawon, Eric Baumgartner, Cassi Baumgartner Ryan Soronen, Evan Soronen and his great-granddaughter Payton Rose Baumgartner, his sister Caroline Sironen of Bruce Crossing, his sister and brother-in-law Evelyn and George Franti of Rhinelander, WI and brother-in-law Paul Nordine. Roy also leaves behind many precious nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother Hugh Soronen and his sister Gloria Nordine. He will be forever in the hearts of the many family members and friends he so deeply loved and enjoyed.

Funeral services were held at the First Lutheran Church in Ewen, MI Saturday Aug. 19, 2006. Interment was in the Evergreen Cemetery in Ewen, MI.

In lue of flowers, please consider monetary donations which will be given to food pantries/homeless shelters and Hospice Alliance in honor of Roy.