Nancy Ellen Siirola

Nancy Ellen Siirola passed away on May 31, 2024 at the age of 101. Nancy was born May 11, 1923 in Toledo, Ohio to Charles Winfield Harris and Emma Clara Kauffman Harris as the youngest of four daughters. At 21, she married Arthur Raymond Siirola, a Navy pilot and commercial artist. Together they had six children and lived in a house a short walk from Nancy’s parents.

In 1960, the family moved from Toledo to Salt Lake City. By 1963, construction was completed on the house that would become Nancy’s home for the remainder of her life. It was there that her skills as a mother, homemaker, and hostess were most on display, among them cooking, sewing, knitting, and keeping the peace. Nancy never went anywhere empty-handed. Outside of the home, Nancy volunteered many hours in the service of the St. Ann Altar Society and the Catholic Community Services Soup Kitchen. As empty-nesters, Nancy and Art were able to see much of the USA by camper truck and much of the globe by ship. Ocean crossings were generally made on smaller ships where they especially seemed to enjoy being classified as a supernumeraries on working vessels.

Following Art’s passing in 2010, Nancy was able to fulfill her desire to remain in her home, thanks in no small part to the assistance of daughter Karen and grandson

Travis Cracraft. In addition to husband Art, Nancy was preceded in death by her parents and her sisters Lucille Sharf, Isabelle Schultz, and Agnes Stalker. Nancy is survived by children Jeffrey, James, Karen, Thomas, Ellen, and Janet, as well as their spouses, children and grandchildren, and other relatives too numerous to mention.

A celebration of life is planned for Wednesday, June 5th at Starks Funeral Parlor, 3651 S 900 E, Millcreek UT where friends may call from 6pm to 8pm. A funeral mass is planned for Thursday, June 6th at St. Ann Catholic Church, 450 E 2100 S at 1pm followed by interment at Utah Veterans Cemetery, 17111 S 1700 W, Bluffdale UT.