Arvo William Alanen

   Arvo William Alanen, better known as “Bill”, was born on July 31, 1937 in Park Rapids, MN. His parents were John Arthur and Anna Sophia (Westerinen) Alanen of Osage, MN. Bill passed away on August 24, 2017 at the Green Pine Acres Nursing Home in Menahga, MN at the age of 80 years and 24 days. Bill spent his child and young adulthood with his parents on the home farm cutting wood with his father and uncles, who had a saw mill near Snellman, MN. At about the age of 21 years, Bill moved to Minneapolis, MN with his best friend, Wil Honga, and found work selling cars at a local dealership for several years. From 1960 to 1966, Bill was a member of the U.S. Army Reserve. He married Jane Kumpula on Sept. 16, 1961 in Minneapolis, MN. Three children were born to this union: Kathleen Byykkonen of Fargo, North Dakota; Kenneth (Donna) Alanen of Phoenix and Safford AZ; and Aaron (Anne) Alanen of Maplewood, MN. In 1971, Bill and Jane and family moved to Scottsdale, AZ and later to Phoenix, AZ. Bill sold cars for several years, and then sold foam roofing, retiring from Durafoam Roofing in 2002, and in 2017 moved to Menahga, MN. Bill enjoyed traveling, made several trips to Finland, and also loved camping; he took the family all over the United States and Canada during several summers and had many different campers and trailers over the years. He also had a life-long interest in cars, especially Model A Fords, restoring and driving them, as well as collecting and selling parts. Bill was a long-time member of the Phoenix Laestadian Lutheran Church and participated in many church activities over the years. After the move back to MN, he was a current member of the Laestadian Lutheran Church of Menahga. Bill is survived by his wife Jane, 3 children, 8 grandchildren and 12 great grand-children, and his brother Richard Alanen of Osage, MN; and a host of relatives and church family friends. Preceded in death are his parents and an infant brother.    A private funeral service was held at Jones-Pearson Chapel in Park Rapids, MN, with interment at Pickerel Lake Cemetery in Wolf Lake, MN. Memorial services will be held at the LLC Churches in Menahga on Sept. 17, 2017, and Phoenix at a later date. Arrangements are made by Jones-Pearson Funeral Home in Park Rapids.