Ardin (Arden) Lee Wiitala, Sr.

1935-2025

A person’s life summarized in a short tribute doesn’t tell the entire story and sometimes we begin at the end. Ardin (Arden) Lee Wiitala, Sr., age 90, of Rib Lake, passed away on Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025, at Rib Lake Health Services in Rib Lake. Family members were able to say their farewells, he was with his daughter, Mary; and son, Bob, when he passed away in the middle of the night.

Ardin was born to the late Herman and Alvina (Miller) Wiitala of Westboro. Herman had immigrated from Finland and settled into Finn country in Westboro where our dad grew up, now the homestead is affectionally called “The Old Place.” Ardin married Shirley (Golder) in 1954 and they were married for 70 years until mom passed away in January. In 1967, Ardin moved his wife, Shirley, along with his nine children to the country in Rib Lake. As life sometimes come full circle, he was able to travel with his wife and sister to Finland and meet his cousins, the family ties to Finland were reconnected.

As a young man he quit school after the 8th grade, working to support his mom and his siblings. He constructed a new barn and started logging with his dad and brother using horses. After marrying Shirley, he took work at the Jorgenson’s butcher shop in Ogema and did masonry work as well. He went out west to do logging in Montana with his dad, he continued working in the woods back in Wisconsin using horses, later a cat and winch working 17 years for Owens-Illinois and then working with his sons under Wiitala Bros Logging & Trucking. His years of reading Louis L’Amour & Zane Grey books took him out west after he left logging. He packed up his wife and unhitched the Chevy (lifelong Chevy owner, we even named one Clyde-we all drove that one) and went to work on the Simek Cattle Ranch in Nevada for a year and a half. He moved back to Wisconsin and became the Town of Rib Lake’s grader and snow plow man where everyone learned not to tick off the snow plow guy!

He enjoyed the outdoors, hunting, and fishing, but really just the woods, he seemed happiest when he was amongst the trees, either cutting them down or cutting them up, I don’t think he ever saw a tree that he didn’t want to fell. Always could spot a good tree for maple syrup, those went undisturbed for the most part. Mom and Dad enjoyed making maple syrup as much as we enjoyed eating it. He liked working in his woodshop, making bowls, cabinets and he even made a real bob sled for the grandkids, he used his forge to make the rails. His ashes will be interned in one of his wooden bowls.

As a dad he was strict but liberal in many ways, as long as you followed the rules you were good. Don’t swear, don’t be late, tell us where you are going, keep the car between the ditches, don’t talk back to your mother, don’t steal, don’t smoke weed, check your guns safety, eat what you shoot, get your high school diploma, get confirmed, work hard and pay your own way. These simple rules worked out well for all of us!

Ardin loved being a grandpa; only the words of a grandchild can describe what kind of grandpa he really was, here is what one of his grandchildren wrote. “Grandpa Wiitala was a stubborn and proud Finlander… but I never once doubted that I was loved. A man of grit and determination with a personality that filled every room. He always had a steady supply of jokes, nursery rhymes, songs and stories…and you never had to guess what he was thinking. What a man. What a grandpa.” She signed this passage with a heart emoji.

Ardin is survived by one sister Ardene; nieces; and nephew. He was preceded in death by his sister, Juanita; brother, Donald; also three half-sisters; and two half-brothers, Berg as his mother was widowed.

We want to share our parents’ legacy with everyone, listed below are his children; grandchildren; great-granchildren; and great-great-grandchildren.

BOB WIITALA (Diana) (Sandy-deceased), MICHELLE (Travis)/Trevor, Morgan, Austin, Lindsay (Chad Gumz)//Breelyn, Croix, JENNY/Hannah, FELICIA(Ryan)/Cameron,Addyson,Ryker LARRY(Lori) WIITALA, LORI(Wayne)/ Amanda(Ryan)//Zoe,McKenzie,Cooper,Hunter, Macy(Tyler) STACEY(Tom), JAKE(Amy)/Leila,Noah DONNA(Richard) FUCHS, SCOTT(Tina)/ Marshall,Jenna,Corey, BRAD(Aleshia)/ Colton,Huxton,Kolt, BRENT(Brandi) SMOKY-Arden Jr.(Nancy) WIITALA, RANDY(Melissa)/Jeremy,Emmitt, LUCAS(Tanya)/ Jack,Nora, MALLORY(Brad), BEN(Amber) SUSIE(Gary) RASMUSSEN, ERIK(Katie)/ Kylie,Jens, KURT(Erica)/Ava,Easton, BROCK(Cassie)/ Sage, JOEL(Kristina)/Colton, JOSH/Hazel,Arlo, JOSIAH(Danielle), JOHNATHAN(Mykala) MARY(Glenn) HARDER, NATHAN(Carly), ANGIE(Aaron), MATHEW(Nicole)/ Crandell,Ellie,Jamison, DANIEL(Melinda)/ Charlee,Bailey, MICHAEL(Jonelle)/ Branson,Sean,Lydia,Alan KEN(Grace) WIITALA, BRITTANY, ALYSSA HERMIE-Ron WIITALA(Kris Strobach), MEGAN(Colton)/Langston, NICHOLAS(Malayna) Last but not least ADAM WIITALA(Giovanni) Graveside services will be held on Saturday, May 16, 2026, at 11 a.m., at the Lakeview Cemetery in Rib Lake. Meal will follow.

Generations Funeral Home & Crematory is assisting the family.

You may view Ardin’s obituary and leave online condolences at generationsfuneral.com.

Paid Obituary 180574