Frederick Elmer Halonen, passed away on March 22, 2023 at the age of 93, at his home in Cokato, MN. He was born December 7, 1929, in Linton, ND, the 5th of 14 children, to Charles and Tyyne (Oikelmus) Halonen. Fred was a lifelong member of the First Apostolic Lutheran Church.
Fred graduated from White Bear Lake High School in 1947. On March 10, 1951, he was united in marriage to Thelma Marian Haataja. They were blessed with 13 children. They resided in Wolf Lake and Cokato, MN.
Upon returning home from their honeymoon, Fred received a draft notice to serve in The US Armed Forces in the Korean War. During his service, he was injured, received a Purple Heart, and was then discharged to go home.
He was a farmer, and, at the age of 40, attended St. Cloud State University, where he graduated in 1970, with a degree in speech pathology. Fred continued farming, was employed by the Lester Prairie and Silver Lake Schools as a speech pathologist, and served as a part-time lay minister for his church until his retirement.
Fred was preceded in death by his wife of almost 72 years, Thelma Halonen- Feb, 2023, 3 sons; infant Anthony-1959, Brent-1988, and Blair-2019, son-in-law; Ronald Corbin; 3 grandchildren, 5 great-grandchildren, his parents, his step-mother; Anna Jurmu, siblings; Carl (Eunice), Judith (Mervin) Mattila, Gladys (Paul) Kariniemi, Mildred (Paul) Raisanen, Paul, Edward, George Douglas, and Sharen Anderson, brother-in-laws; Walter Muhonen, Ernest Lehtola, and Paul Ylitalo, stepbrothers; Clifford (Carol) Jurmu and Robert Jurmu, his parents-in-law, Gustav and Anna Haataja and 21 brothers and sisters-in-law.
He is survived by his children; Peter (Debra)-Cokato, John (Becky)-Hanover, Tyyni (Duane) Salmen-Osage, Thea Corbin-Cokato, Gregg (Suzanne)-Cokato, Tamara (Jeffrey) Pietila-Chassell, MI, Teresa (Kenneth) Johnson-Sedar Bay, MI, Anna (David) Aho-Cokato, Avis (Eric) Sheffer- Fenton, MI, Scott (Kathleen)- Cokato, daughters-in-law; Kristin Halonen- Cokato, Julie (Arvi) Impola-Calumet, MI, 101 grandchildren, 246 great-grandchildren, his siblings; Sylvia Muhonen, Virginia Lehtola, Raymond (Betty) Halonen, Lillian Ylitalo, Donald (Florence) Halonen, sister and brother-in-laws; Lorraine Hilluka, Connie Halonen, Martha Halonen, Jerry Anderson, and Miriam Jurmu, and a host of relatives and friends.
Funeral service at 11 AM on Mon, April 3rd at the 1st Apostolic Lutheran Church, Dassel, with visitation 1 hour prior. Visitation Sun. April 2nd from 5-8 PM at Church. Swanson-Peterson Funeral Home, www.swansonpeterson.com 320-286-2534