Mauno John Laituri

Mauno John Laituri died September 28, 2014. He was 93 years old. Services will be held on November 1, 2014 at 11:00am at the Zion Lutheran Church, Fairport Harbor. John was born March 22, 1921 to Andrew and Maria Laituri in Ashtabula. Andrew and Maria were Finnish immigrants and John was tremendously proud of his Finnish heritage. John had a long, rich life. He graduated from Harbor High School in Ashtabula, attended Suomi College for one year and transferred to The Ohio State University where he received a degree in chemical engineering. John's career paralleled the expansion of petrochemical development. His primary base of operation was California, but as an engineering and sales manager he crisscrossed the country developing project accounts. He spent three years in the Middle East Office of Fluor Engineering Coproration in Tehran, Iran - a highlight of his career. John ended his career working in the Cleveland area for H.K. Ferguson and retired to Painesville. He has been a resident of Painesville since the early 1980s. John was a member of the American Association of Chemical Engineers since 1948. He was active in the Toastmaster's Club and served as President of the Alhambra Toastmaster's chapter while in California. John was a active and avid member of the Democratic Party throughout his entire life. John was always a participant in church activities no matter where he lived -- he was a member of chuch council as well as serving on numerous church committees. In his later years, he supported the Finnish Heritage Museum in Fairport Harbor. It is hard to describe a life of 93 years. The first thing that anyone talking to John would learn was that he was literally "one in a million" -- being a situs inversus viscerum -- which means his internal organs were a mirror image of their normal positions. He loved to tell people this and get their response. John was an avid golfer, developing his game over many years. He greatly enjoyed the monthly dinners with his fellow duffers. John was keenly interested in current events. He watched the news programs, followed magazines and the newspaper daily, and read many books on current and historical events. He regularly posted letters to the editor to share his opinions and insights on recent and past events as well as to acknowledge local activities and services. He worked the daily jumble and crosswords and regularly exercised at the Fairport Senior Center. John's family is far-flung, with his children and grandchildren in California and Colorado. He loved to travel and visited them often. After John's wife, Jean, passed away, John married Mildred Honkala. He gained another family that loved him very much. Survivors are his wife Mildred Honkala Laituri of 15 years. His children from his first marriage are Michael (Carol); Melinda (Gregory); daughter in law, Linda; grandchildren, Michael, Mindy, Dominic, and Megen. His Honkala stepchildren include, Thomas (Karen); Timothy (Carmella); Philip (Karen); Paul (Kellie); stepgrandchildren, Matthew (Nikki), Megan (Richard), Katie, Celeste, Jon, John, Sarah, Sam, Luke; stepgreat grandchildren, Emma, Evan, Peyton. He is preceded in death by his first wife of 53 years, Emma Virginia (Jean); son, Jonathan; siblings, Martin, Mickey, Maury, Marge, Milma, Marie, Melvin, and Matthew. In lieu of flowers, the family encourages contibutions to Zion Lutheran Church, Fairport Harbor 44077 or the Finnish Heritage Museum, 302 High Street, Fairport Harbor, OH 44077.