Kathleen Nikunen, 79, passed away Friday, August 4, 2023 at The Circle of Life Hospice, in Shakopee, MN.

Memorial services will be held at the Shakopee Benedictine Living Community Chapel, 1705 Windermere Wy, Shakopee, MN 55379, on Sunday, August 20, 2023 at 3pm, with visitation one hour before the service.

Kathleen (Kathy) E. Nikunen, the daughter of Rev. John and Julia (Walikainen) Junttila, was born April 1, 1944 in Hancock, Michigan. As a minister’s family they relocated frequently throughout her childhood. Growing up with sister Phyllis, they always remained very close up to Phyllis’s passing 2 years ago. I can hear them singing soprano/vibrato now with God’s choir, the same old hymns they sang in church, so many times together on earth.

Kathy was united in marriage at the young age of 19, to David Nikunen on September 14, 1963 in Chassell, Michigan. Kathy and sister Phyllis, married Dave and his brother Jerry, in a double wedding. Kathy worked to put Dave through college, at Michigan Tech/Northern Michigan University for his education degree. They moved to Roseau, Minnesota in 1967 as Dave got a teaching position in Badger, Minnesota. Kathy studied and became a Medical Secretary and worked at the Roseau Area Hospital for many years.

Behind her faith, family and friends, Kathy has always had a passion for her career. She went back to college and earned her bachelor’s degree in management, graduating with honors at age 50 from the University of Mary. With this degree, she became a Physician Recruiter for many different health organizations, in Crookston, Fargo, Omaha, and her last position in St. Paul, working for HealthEast Care system in Physician Recruitment. She also presented numerous corporate and nation-wide seminars on Motivational and Physician Recruitment topics, through coaching and educating. Most of all, she loved working with people in healthcare, was very successful in her career and worked with this same passion until the age of 70! In her aging years in needing health care herself, we believe that this is why she always got the best care and cutest doctors.

Kathy loved quotes, and one of her favorites was, “It’s nice to be important, but more important to be nice.” Kathy had a giving heart and would do anything for family and friends. Her family was her everything. She was very involved in her kids’ lives and called just to hear their voices, often multiple times a day. Kathy always looked sharp and never left the house without matching a purse, scarf, clip earrings, lipstick and ALWAYS a smile. Nothing gave her more happiness, or made her smile more, than her grandkids. She was so proud of them, spoke about them to everyone she met and loved and spoiled them any chance she got. Grandma always said, “Yes!!”

Family and career were a huge part of her life, but she also loved reading, writing letters, making scrapbooks, journaling, making To-Do lists, public speaking and giving motivational speeches, shopping, getting her hair/nails done, sitting outside, listening to music, going out for dinner, or going out for just “pie and coffee”, traveling to see family and friends, trips to her family cabin in the UP of Michigan, singing in the choir, and was always very involved in her church. Kathy was 100% Finnish. Her heritage was something she was very proud of, always correcting others on the correct pronunciation of the word, Sauna. Kathy displayed SISU, which means, Inner Strength, in Finnish.

Being a pastor’s kid, (a PK), Kathy developed her faith at a young age, growing up in church, singing in church, and being very active in all church related activities. This continued throughout her life, as she loved the Lord!! We will always remember her thanking God out loud for the beautiful day, or sunset, family blessings, or even a good cup of coffee. Her favorite verse and hymn was, It is Well With my Soul (Psalm 42:7).

Kathy is survived by her husband, David Nikunen; three children, sons Tim (Dee) Nikunen and Tom Nikunen, and daughter, Heidi (Justin) Hammerback; five grandchildren, Paige Nielson, Reagan and Henry Hammerback, and Phillip and Jack Nikunen; sister-in-law, Sue Wiles; brothers-in-law, John Feldman and Bruce (Marsha) Nikunen, and Rev. Jerome Nikunen; sister-in-law, Kris (Glen) Kloempken; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Kathy was preceded in death by her parents, Rev. John and Julia Junttila; brother, John Junttila; and sister Phyllis Nikunen. What a Joyous Junttila family reunion in Heaven.

May God bless her memory.

“Well done, good and faithful servant!” Matthew 25:23

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