Kermitt Kenneth Koistinen

Kermitt Kenneth Koistinen, 90, passed away on August 24, 2017 at Miller’s Merry Manor, Peru, IN after a brief illness.

He leaves behind two daughters, Linda (Koistinen) Astarita, Madison Heights, MI and Lori (Koistinen) Cheever and her husband, Gordon Cheever, Peru IN; four grandchildren, Amanda (Astarita) Buck and her husband, Adam Buck, Clawson, MI; Cynthia (Cheever) Brindle, and her husband, Jonathan Brindle, Logansport, IN; Christopher Cheever, Peru, IN; and Jessica Cheever, Peru, IN; two great-grandchildren, Elaina Buck, Clawson, MI and Isabelle Buck, Clawson, MI; and a large crop of nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by the love of his life, Catherine (Cornell) Koistinen, his wife of nearly 58 years; and four sisters and three brothers, Luella Robinson, George Koistinen, Betty Dingman Downs, Adelaide Oldenkamp, Clifford Koistinen, Violet Pulver Damiani, and Gerald Koistinen.

Born in Bryant, SD, as the youngest of eight children, Kermitt often joked that his mother ran out of names by the time she got to him.  He joined the Navy during World War II, where he was a Seaman, First Class.

After being honorably discharged from the Navy, he sold insurance and later became a rural mail carrier in Michigan.  He loved painting, gardening, bowling, playing piano, and beating his relatives and friends in Scrabble.  Kermitt was a faithful church goer and loved his Lord.  His life was an example of Christian service, love, and thankfulness.

A service of celebration will be held at Westlawn Cemetery, Denver, IN, on September 1, 2017 at 2:30 p.m. in the afternoon.