Katri Maria Hill, née Ruohola, was born in the New York City borough of Harlem in May 1924 to Arvo and Katri (Toppari) Ruohola, both immigrants from Finland. Maria celebrated her 9th birthday on a ship back to Finland, as her father was advised to return to improve his arthritis. It worked, as his arthritis cleared up in a year, and he lived into old age. Unfortunately, the move to Finland in 1933 subjected the family to the "Winter War" against the Russians, their part of World War II. Maria often remarked that the most special gift she ever received was a box of American raisins that was all hers during those harsh times, as her sister Lillian received her own box.

As Maria was a US citizen and could not get a Finnish work permit, she bravely sailed to the USA in her early twenties. After a brief stay in NYC, she visited some of her 27 cousins in Michigan's Upper Peninsula and stayed on after answering an ad for a Finnish-speaking bookkeeper. After a few years, she moved to the flourishing metropolis of Detroit after a fellow-Finnish bookkeeper--Sylvia Loukinen--found her a job there. She soon joined St. Johns of Detroit (later Redford), a Finnish-American Lutheran Church, where she was a member for many decades and served as treasurer, church council member, and was active in the kitchen.

While swimming in a Detroit-area lake, she heard two men in a boat speaking Finnish. She joined them for a while, and then swam away. After two weeks, one of those men--Tovio Alfred Hill--called Maria to ask her out on a date. Maria asked him why it took him so long. He answered that he was waiting for his new car to impress her. They were married at St. John's in September 1957. Toivo of Ironwood, Michigan is also the child of two Finnish immigrants. Maria and Toivo raised two children in Detroit--Mark and Kathryn--and then moved around the Detroit area to Livonia, Farmington Hills, and Rochester Hills. Both Toivo and Maria were life members, enthusiastic supporters of, and volunteers for the Finnish Center Association of Farmington Hills, which connected them to the Finnish community all of their lives.

Maria retained her grace to the end, passing away after 95 years in Rochester Hills, MI in June 2019. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband Toivo, sister Salme, and all 27 cousins. She is much loved and remembered by the living, including her sisters Lillian and Vuokko, children Mark and Kathryn, grandchildren Nicole and Gregory, great-granddaughter Zeynep, the spouses and children of these, as well as many friends.

Maria frequently said, "We were not rich, and we were not poor, but we did not have to worry about paying the bills, so we could and did have a happy home." Maria exemplified strength, persistence, and kindness. She taught us all, "SISU!" (See definition in P.S. below.)

Maria's life will be celebrated on Saturday, July 27, 2019 with visitation beginning at 10:00 AM and funeral at 11:00 AM, both at Thayer-Rock Funeral Home. These will be followed by interment at Glen Eden Memorial Park 35667 W. 8 Mile Rd. Livonia and a reception at Finnish Center Association.

​While flowers at the funeral are valued, a donation is preferred to the Finnish Center Association or the church of your choice.

P.S. Per Wikipedia: ​Sisu​ is a Finnish concept described as stoic determination, tenacity of purpose, grit, bravery, resilience, and hardiness and is held by Finns themselves to express their national character. It is generally considered not to have a literal equivalent in English.

Kindly keep the Hill family in your thoughts and prayers during this time.

Saturday, July 27, 2019

10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

33603 Grand River Avenue
Farmington, Michigan 48335

Directions Funeral Service Thayer-Rock Funeral Home

Saturday, July 27, 2019

11:00 AM

33603 Grand River Avenue
Farmington, Michigan 48335

Directions