Ruth Ann Ernst Tauriainen
Obituary
Ruth Ann Ernst Tauriainen
Longtime Nikiski resident Ruth Ann Ernst Tauriainen died Saturday, Feb. 18, 2006, at Central Peninsula General Hospital in Soldotna. She was 57.
Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. today, Feb. 23, at Star of the North Lutheran Church in Kenai. Visitation will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. today at the church. Pastor Tim Tolar will officiate. Graveside services will be held at 4 p.m., where she will be laid to rest with her family in the McGahan Cemetery in Nikiski.
Mrs. Tauriainen was born in Crespo, Argentina, where her parents were missionaries for the Lutheran Church. In 1950, the family returned to the United States. Her childhood travels included homes in Medora and Anderson, Ind., Eden, Idaho, and Fairbanks. She graduated from Lathrop High School in Fairbanks. After high school, she married Terry Dolan and lived in the Lower 48, where their children Amy and Peter Dolan were born.
In the late 1970s Mrs. Tauriainen and her children returned to Alaska and made it their home. In 1981 she married lifelong friend Carl Tauriainen at her parents’ home on Beck Lake. The couple lived close by, where their son Seth was born.
She worked as a homemaker and mother, a bank teller for National Bank of Alaska, became a seasoned deck hand for her husband as they fished in Cook Inlet, started Alaska Homestead Sausage and Salmon and worked at Nikiski Building Supply.
“Ruth loved her family home on Bishop Creek, working by Carl’s side on the boat and in the kitchen, visiting her children both in Alaska and Oregon, spending long summer days barbecuing with her family, and working outside in her garden. She is well-remembered for her devotion to the Lord, love of family, cheery optimism and epitomizing the Golden Rule. Ruth was an active member of Star of the North Lutheran Church and will be sorely missed by all who knew her bright spirit. She was a cherished wife, mother, daughter, sister, aunt and friend,” her family said.
Mrs. Tauriainen was preceded in death by her brother, Ronald Ernst; father, the Rev. Raymond Ernst; father-in-law, Arthur Tauriainen; and former in-laws, Fuzz and Peg Dolan.
She is survived by her husband, Carl; son and daughter-in-law, Peter Dolan and Heather Waye; daughter and son-in-law, Amy Dolan and Ryan Moeckly; son, Seth Tauriainen; mother, Sally Ernst; brothers and sisters-in-law, Rick and Kathy Ernst and children, Devin and Aaron Ernst, Randy and Carol (Tauriainen) Ernst and children, Ellee Ernst and Beth Grey and Rob and Gretchen Ernst and daughter Annaleah Ernst; sister and brother-in-law, Rose Marie and Jerry Atkinson and children, Matt and Heidi Atkinson and Jenny Manniello; sister, Becky Ernst, former brother-in-law Willie Porter and children Zach, Abe and Eli Porter; aunt, Gertrude Guenther; uncle and aunt, Al and Dorothy Wenger; nephews, Dean and Bradley Ernst; niece, Melinda Ernst; former sister-in-law, Sue Ernst; mother-in-law, Mim Tauriainen; brothers- and sisters-in-laws, Mike and Kay Tauriainen and children, Julie, Wendy and Lyndi Tauriainen, Glenn and Lindy Tauriainen and Steve Tauriainen; former husband, Terry Dolan; former brothers-in-law, Kevin, Bill and Tim Dolan, their spouses and children; and numerous other relatives.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Mrs. Tauriainen’s name to the Star of the North Lutheran Church, 216 N. Forest Drive, Kenai, AK 99611.
Arrangements were made by Peninsula Memorial Chapel in Kenai.