Carol Seppala

Carol A. Seppala, 77, of Sturgeon Township went home to her Heavenly Father peacefully with family by her side on February 23, 2024, after a brief battle with cancer.

Carol was born in Chisholm, MN, on December 25, 1946, to Walter and Anne (Dunda) Rautiola. She grew up in Sturgeon where she attended Alango School until her senior year when her class was transferred to Cook High School, graduating in 1964. It was at a school dance where she met her husband, Ernest Seppala, who was playing in the band. They got married on August 5, 1967, and settled down in Sturgeon.

Carol received her Associate Degree in Office Administration from Mesabi Community College. Shortly after graduating, she was hired as a secretary at the Virginia School. She retired from ISD 2142 after 32 years of service having various duties over the years including health assistant, secretary, and assistant cook. Additionally, she worked for 12 years as the banquet captain at Fortune Bay Casino.

After retirement, she worked at home for Symplr based out of California. She made phone calls to health care facilities all over the United States for their client, Yale New Haven Health Systems, updating their provider directory.

She was a dedicated member of St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Alango and enjoyed being a member of the music department as the bass guitarist. She loved her church family and all the friends she made over the years. She enjoyed hosting friends for supper and playing a rousing game of cards.

Carol also shared her musical talents beyond the church. She was a piano teacher in the community for many years. Additionally, she spent seven years as the bass guitarist for the local band “Second Chance,” alongside other members Carl Antus, Carol Newman, Dana Anderson, Darlene Hunter, Ernie Seppala and Tony Chos. Their playlist consisted of multiple genres of music. They performed at numerous churches and events in the area including “Saturday Night Country…Live!”

Carol was preceded in death by her parents. She is survived by her husband, Ernest Seppala; son Terry Seppala of Lakeville, MN; son Mickey (Selda) Seppala and their children John (Adriana), Erin and Ceren of Hortonville, WI, and Dayton, OH; daughter Alanna (Jeff) Schany and their children Annika, Jaelyn and Ryker of Woodbury, MN; daughter Aliisa (Timothy) Criffield and their children Noah, Zac, and Elli of Kearney, NE; special daughters Jennifer (Cody) Wooster and their children Oliver and Amelia of Chisholm, MN; Pauliina Maula of Turku, Finland; special sons Daniel Figueroa of Portland, OR; and Robb Grandt of Lakeville, MN; and her beloved therapy dog, Poppie Lu.

She is also survived by her brother Charles (Patricia) Rautiola, sisters Becky Straw and Sherry Nelson, and numerous nieces, nephews, and friends.

A Celebration of Life will be held starting at 1:00 p.m., Sunday, June 16, 2024, at the Cook Community Center, 510 Gopher Dr, Cook, MN 55723. All are welcome to attend. Memorials can be sent to 11004 Hwy 22, Angora, MN 55703. The family would like to thank Minnesota Oncology, Essentia Health St. Mary’s Hospice and the Landmark Funeral Home for their care and compassion during this difficult time.

**In preparation for the Celebration of Life, we would greatly appreciate your input. Please open this 1-question survey ([Describe Carol in Three Words](https://forms.office.com/r/4R03veiGEw)) to provide 3 words (adjectives) that you would use to describe Carol. The results will be revealed at the celebration (and shared via social media).