Olli Ferdinand Kaarakka

Olli F. Kaarakka, MD, age 85, died Wednesday, December 9, 2009 at HospiceCare in Fitchburg, Wisconsin. Olli was born in Helsinki, Finland on January 1, 1924, the son of the late Olavi and Paula (Oksanen) Kaarakka. During his childhood school-years, he was a competitive cross-country runner and skier, and spent a lot of time outdoors in the Finnish woods. He served as an officer in the Finnish military during the Winter War, and afterwards completed college and medical school. He came to Chicago for a medical residency in 1951 and met his future wife, Lilee Betty, while he was there. They were married in 1952 and lived briefly in Finland before returning to the United States to settle. After being drafted and serving several years in the US Army Medical Corps, they moved to Racine where Olli began his anesthesia practice at Saint Mary's Hospital. He brought many advances to his anesthesia work there, and was well liked and respected by his patients and colleagues at the hospital. Outside of work he was an avid flower gardener and model builder. He loved introducing his family to Wisconsin's forests and the mountains of the American West, and the family spent many enjoyable trips outdoors. Olli continued his outside activities after his retirement in 1989 and was still competing in his age class for downhill skiing at age 70. He also loved driving across the West to visit his children and grandchildren in California and Texas.

Olli is survived by: his sister, Elena Virtanen and her children; children, Martin Kaarakka, Paul (Andrea) Kaarakka, Ruth (Mike) Gosselin, Laura (Landy) Leon, and Karen (Craig) Brown; and ten grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by: his wife, Lilee; infant son, Peter; and brother, Esko Kaarakka. Remembrances and condolences from Olli's friends and colleagues are welcome at ofkaarakka@tds.net

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