It is with deepest sadness that the Rintala Family announces the passing of Esme Rintala (nee Erickson) on December 21st, 2021 at her home in Lively, Ontario. Esme is survived by her beloved husband Voitto Rintala and her children, son Richard (wife Anca), daughter Catherine (husband Brian, predeceased), sons Ronald and Robert (partner Lana). She was a proud grandmother to Lenka (husband Daryl), Erick (wife Lauralee), Jodi (husband Anthony), Lindsay (partner Andrew), Tamara, Jacob, and Mikayla and great grandmother to Avery, Ella and Evelyne. Esme was predeceased by her parents Aili and John Erickson and sisters Evelyn Kari (husband Keijo) and Irene Mills (Lynn). She was especially close with cousin Mamie Dugdale (nee Salomaa). She will be dearly missed by many nieces and nephews, former colleagues, and a host of cherished friends.
Esme was born November 13th, 1933, in Sudbury, Ontario, the first of two children born to John and Aili Erickson. Her father John passed away when she was 10 years old, and Esme left school a few short years later to help support her family. Though Esme possessed a sharp intellect and had aspirations of further education, she deeply valued hard work, practicality and doing what is needed for those you love. These values led her throughout her early years and the rest of her life.
Esme met Voitto Rintala when she was age 16 and they married in 1954. Together they built a life, including growing and operating a successful business, raising a family of four children, developing, and maintaining many lifelong friendships and making valued contributions to their community. Through all the ups and downs of a long life spent together, Esme and Voitto remained devoted to one another and to their family.
Esme balanced a career and family, working alongside Voitto to support the daily operations of their business while raining their four children. As both business and family grew, she became respected for her fairness and decisiveness on both fronts. She valued her community, being an active member of the women’s institute and her church for many years. She was deeply proud of her service as a councillor in local government and attended to the work with integrity.
Esme was a lifelong seeker of wisdom and learning. She constantly read and discussed topics of politics to spirituality frankly, fearlessly and with a depth of interest and curiosity matched only by her expansive sense of humour. Esme was a person of deep thought and deep feeling who also fully embraced the lightness offered in life. When she was amused, she laughed long, and she laughed loud, until tears of joy and mirth streamed from her eyes regardless of who might be watching.
Esme was a woman with generosity of heart and spirit, who modelled for those around her how to approach life with courage, passion, grit, humour, and humility. She will be missed, and her life has been a long and well lived one. We are humbled and grateful to have walked alongside her in her journey and will keep the lessons learned from her close as a guiding light as we continue the journey forward from here. Esme, we thank you.
In acknowledgement of the risks associated with gathering at this time, a celebration of life will be held at a later date to be announced. The family hope you will join them at that time. As service to others was a central value to Esme’s, donations in her name can be directed to the Kidney Foundation or a charity of your choice if you wish to do so. For donations or messages of condolence, www.lougheedfuneralhomes.com
Arrangements entrusted to the Lougheed Funeral Home.
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Tuesday December 21st 2021
Nos plus sincères sympathies à la famille et aux amis de Esme Shirley Aileen Rintala Tuesday December 21st 2021..
Décès pour la Ville:Sudbury, Province: Ontario