Ina H. Nurmi

BOTISFIELD – Ina H. Nurmi, 93, longterm resident of Otisfield, passed away peacefully on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019, after a long battle with dementia at the Pleasant Valley Nursing Center, Derry, N.H. She was born in Oxford on July 18, 1926, the daughter of Charles and Grace Lamb Hirst. She was a 1943 graduate of Oxford High School. She was married for 62 years to her loving husband, Oiva Nurmi. Ina loved her family and there were many memories made and holidays shared surrounded by her family at the Hirst/Nurmi Family Farmhouse in Otisfield. Ina was an active member of the Finnish-American Heritage Society and helped co-chair many public suppers with her husband, Oiva, at the Finnish-American Hall in West Paris. She played piano at the East Otisfield Church while her late aunt, Ethel Hirst, sang. She was a great cook, known for her Nissua bread and molasses cookies. She loved gardening and bird watching with Oiva. As well, she kept busy canning and doing crosswords, jumbles and word searches. Ina loved to watch Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy and spoiling her cat Wilbur. She will be truly missed by so many. Ina is survived by her daughter, Linda Andrews; daughter-in-law, Marilee Nurmi; sister-in-law, Barbara Nurmi-Payne; grandchildren, Robert (Robbie) Bonney, Angel Bonney, Amy Bonney, Brian Bonney, Tracy (Andrews) Blevens, Laurie (Andrews) Hobbs, Sonia (Andrews) Browne, and “Her Twins”, Hillary (Nurmi) Kakhonen and Heather Nurmi; as well as many great grandchildren, nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her husband, Oiva Nurmi; her first husband, Merton Bonney; her sons, James Bonney and Thomas Nurmi; her brother, John Hirst; her sister, Pearl (Hirst) Vining; and her grandson, Troy W. Andrews. Ina will rest with her husband, Oiva, as she requested.

A celebration of life will be held in the spring with time and date to be announced. Arrangements are under the care of Oxford Hills Funeral Services, 1037 Main St., Oxford. Online condolences may be shared with her family at www.oxfordhillsfuneralservices.com