In the spring of 1937, he met a beautiful young lady, Saima Riippa, at the Huron Mountain Club where they both worked during their college years. As soon as he saw her, he knew she was the one. In June of 1943, they were married. During the wedding ceremony, after the prayer, the minister asked them to rise, and Dad remained on his knees. Saima asked him later why, and he replied, just wanted to say an extra prayer. It must have been effective––their union lasted almost sixty-seven years.
Oliver enlisted in the Army in 1942. In January, 1943, he received his commission as a field artillery officer. He served as a training officer in the United States, and then he was assigned to the Corps Artillery Headquarters of the Intelligence Corps. During his tenure, after the hostilities stopped in the Philippines, he prepared for a landing in Japan. He was training to direct Navy gunfire to support the first wave of invading troops. Fortunately, the war in Japan ended, and he then served in the Army of Occupation until the spring of 1946 where his job was to direct the destruction of enemy materiel and the sinking of submarines.
After World War II, he began teaching in Petoskey but was recalled to active duty after the Korean War began. He was in a battalion which was under the direction of the Intelligence Corps once again where he passed on intelligence information from the observers on the front lines. He was in Korea for three years where he was awarded a medal of commendation for his work in Japan and a bronze star for his work in establishing observation posts on the front lines in Korea.
After the Korean War, Oliver once more returned to teach math and wood shop in Petoskey and was appointed the principal of the high school in 1958. In 1967, he was appointed to the position of assistant superintendent of the Petoskey school system, and in 1977 he retired and enjoyed his travels with his wife to Finland, Hawaii, the western part of the United States, and to North Carolina, twice a year, to visit his daughter, son-in-law, and two granddaughters. He enjoyed his family and doted on his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He and Saima wrote the book on how to be grandparents.
Oliver enjoyed carpentry, building, and remodeling. He built a family cottage on Douglas Lake in 1960 with the help of his father, Frank, and his good friend, Philip Dally, where the family where the family continues to spend summers. He was a meticulous craftsman, curing wood for and building grandfather clocks, constructing end tables, building beautiful oak cabinets in his kitchen, and helping friends and family with remodeling projects. He was a capable, curious, intelligent man who read newspapers and news magazines each week and kept up with current events. He was a member of the First Methodist Church of Petoskey, and a member of the Kiwanis Club. His wife, parents, and a brother predeceased him, and he leaves behind his children, and six grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. He also leaves his two brothers, nieces and nephews.
Mr. Aho's obituary in its entirety is available at he Greenwood Cemetery Geneological Site. http://www.gwood.us/
In the spring of 1937, he met a beautiful young lady, Saima Riippa, at the Huron Mountain Club where they both worked during their college years. As soon as he saw her, he knew she was the one. In June of 1943, they were married. During the wedding ceremony, after the prayer, the minister asked them to rise, and Dad remained on his knees. Saima asked him later why, and he replied, just wanted to say an extra prayer. It must have been effective––their union lasted almost sixty-seven years.
Oliver enlisted in the Army in 1942. In January, 1943, he received his commission as a field artillery officer. He served as a training officer in the United States, and then he was assigned to the Corps Artillery Headquarters of the Intelligence Corps. During his tenure, after the hostilities stopped in the Philippines, he prepared for a landing in Japan. He was training to direct Navy gunfire to support the first wave of invading troops. Fortunately, the war in Japan ended, and he then served in the Army of Occupation until the spring of 1946 where his job was to direct the destruction of enemy materiel and the sinking of submarines.
After World War II, he began teaching in Petoskey but was recalled to active duty after the Korean War began. He was in a battalion which was under the direction of the Intelligence Corps once again where he passed on intelligence information from the observers on the front lines. He was in Korea for three years where he was awarded a medal of commendation for his work in Japan and a bronze star for his work in establishing observation posts on the front lines in Korea.
After the Korean War, Oliver once more returned to teach math and wood shop in Petoskey and was appointed the principal of the high school in 1958. In 1967, he was appointed to the position of assistant superintendent of the Petoskey school system, and in 1977 he retired and enjoyed his travels with his wife to Finland, Hawaii, the western part of the United States, and to North Carolina, twice a year, to visit his daughter, son-in-law, and two granddaughters. He enjoyed his family and doted on his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He and Saima wrote the book on how to be grandparents.
Oliver enjoyed carpentry, building, and remodeling. He built a family cottage on Douglas Lake in 1960 with the help of his father, Frank, and his good friend, Philip Dally, where the family where the family continues to spend summers. He was a meticulous craftsman, curing wood for and building grandfather clocks, constructing end tables, building beautiful oak cabinets in his kitchen, and helping friends and family with remodeling projects. He was a capable, curious, intelligent man who read newspapers and news magazines each week and kept up with current events. He was a member of the First Methodist Church of Petoskey, and a member of the Kiwanis Club. His wife, parents, and a brother predeceased him, and he leaves behind his children, and six grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. He also leaves his two brothers, nieces and nephews.
Mr. Aho's obituary in its entirety is available at he Greenwood Cemetery Geneological Site. http://www.gwood.us/
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