Marquette – Barbara D. Niemi, age 86, longtime resident of 777 Pioneer Park, Marquette passed away on Wednesday February 25, 2015 at the Norlite Nursing Center in Marquette where she had resided since August of 2013.

Barbara was born January 30, 1929 in Kalamazoo, MI the daughter of the late Howard and Juanita (Dow) Snow. She spent her childhood in Comstock, MI and was a graduate of the Comstock High School, Class of 1947. On October 24, 1947 she married Eino Niemi and they moved at that time to Humboldt Twp. where Eino was from. Barb worked briefly at the H.W. Gossard Co. in Ishpeming, then spent many years raising her family. She returned to work at the Acocks Medical Care Facility in the housekeeping dept. and then moved to Marquette General Hospital in housekeeping for 12 years, retiring in 1990.

Barb was a member of the Messiah Lutheran Church. She loved her flower gardens and would devote many hours in the summer months tending those gardens. In her younger years Barb would spend time sewing and knitting sweaters, mittens and socks for her family. More recently Barb had enjoyed the art of quilting. She was especially fond of her cats. She will be remembered as the family photographer. She was always up for an adventure, traveling out west to Yellowstone and Las Vegas, also took trips to Florida, the Bahamas along with a trip around Lake Superior.

Survivors include 5 children – Kenneth (Kathy) Niemi of Port Huron, Allen (Judy) Niemi of Houghton, Leslie (Barbara) Niemi of Davenport, IA, William (Peggy) Niemi of White Lake and Lois (Tim) Goldsworthy of Gwinn, 8 grandchildren – Amanda (Rob) Christoff, Kellan (Holly) Niemi, Melissa Fitzgerald, Elliot Niemi, Clare (Aaron) LaLonde, Philip (Lisa) Niemi, Erin Niemi and Kristen (Will) Martinez, 7 great grandchildren with one more on the way, along with many nieces and nephews and her special friend Sharon McNeil of Marquette. She was preceded in death by her husband Eino on Nov. 4, 1969 and two sisters – Sybil Rodenberger and Geraldine Bongers.

The family will greet relatives and friends from 10am – 11am on Monday, March 2, 2015 at the Messiah Lutheran Church in Marquette. Funeral services will follow at 11:00am on Monday at Messiah Lutheran Church with the Rev. Amanda Kossow to officiate. Interment will take place at the Humboldt Twp. Cemetery. A luncheon will follow the services in the Magnuson Hall at Messiah Lutheran Church.

Memorials may be directed to UPAWS in memory of Barb at UPAWS.org

The funeral service recording, when it becomes available, can be found here .