David Saima

David R. Saima passed away peacefully on January 11, 2022 surrounded by his loving family. He was 93 years old. David was the second child of Lillian and Gadiel Saima. He was born on February 19, 1928 in Green Valley Township, Minnesota at a logging camp where his father was working at the time. The family was staying in the log cabin on the property. A year later, Gadiel bought land near by and moved his family to the farm where David grew up and became inspired by rural life and farming. David attended a one room school house. When he was a teenager, he worked for his uncle cutting wood. In 1949, David joined the US Air Force. He completed basic training at Lackland AFB in TX and his technical training at Chanute AFB in Rantoul, IL. In August 1949, David met the love of his life, Laura Lappe, who was from Chicago. They married one year later in Chicago on August 19, 1950. David was transferred to Larson AFB in Moses Lake, WA so the newly married couple moved shortly after their wedding. In the years that followed, David and Laura brought six daughters into the world and they built a lovely house in WA. After his years in the Air Force, David worked in Civil Service and other jobs. In 1969, due to the depressed economy in WA, David and family moved back to Minnesota. They lived in Monticello, MN and Coon Rapids, MN for 10 years. David and Laura started building another lovely house in Anoka, MN and moved there in 1979. This remains the current homestead for the Saima family. David worked at the defense company FMC Corporation in Fridley, MN from 1970 to 1990. He retired after 20 years of employment at age 62. David was a man of many talents. He built three houses during his lifetime and preferred doing much of the work himself. When he was a teenager, he built his own violin and taught himself to play. In later years, he picked up other instruments - guitar, accordion, banjo - and taught himself to play those too. David was always working on projects to repair or fix or improve things around his property - cars, appliances, lawnmowers, tractors, furniture and so on. In his late years, he often needed assistance from family members, but he still had the drive to complete his projects. He was always either working on a project or thinking about the next project to do! David had an easygoing personality and he loved to joke around with people. He enjoyed the many family get-togethers for holidays and other events. In both WA and MN, he and Laura enjoyed visiting relatives on both sides of the family. They also loved going to thrashing shows, flea markets, music festivals (FinnFest) and thrift stores. David is survived by his daughters Cheryl (Bruce), Kathleen, Sandra, Michele, Andrea, Roxanne (Bill) Potvin; grandchildren Michael Saima, Tremaine (Alaura) Woodson, Erik (Danielle) Saima, Alisha (Mitch) Eberhart, Rachel Woodson (Josh); great-grandsons Judah Saima and Jordan Saima. David is also survived by his siblings Viola (Ron) Barklow and Judy (Chris) Berry and many loved nieces and nephews. David was preceded in death by his cherished wife Laura, his parents, his brothers Donald Saima and Ralph Saima and his sisters Esther McKee and Elma Weeks. Funeral services will be held at Cardini-Pearson Funeral Home in Menahga, MN on Friday, February 4, 2022 at 11:00am. Visitation will be held one hour prior to funeral service. Interment will be at Green Valley Cemetery.