Sonja Anita Aaltonen, 89
Sonja Aaltonen (Lasta) died peacefully on January 17, 2022 at Cape Cod Hospital surrounded by her children. She was born, raised and worked in Helsinki, Finland until her 30s when she met her future husband Osmo Veikko Aaltonen at a dance. Osmo, like many Europeans at that time was hungry to come to America, the land of opportunity, and Sonja went with him.
They chose to settle on Cape Cod because of the many lakes, ocean points and bogs that reminded them of Finland. Both of Sonja’s children, her daughter Kirsi and son Sami were born here. Her husband was a carpenter and Sonja was a talented seamstress who worked from home so she could raise her children. She was always there to protect and support them.
Sonja and Osmo lived in Hyannis until 1977 when she saw an ad in the paper for a lot that was for sale in Centerville. She begged her husband to buy it because it would be great for the kids to be near the lake and to play around the bog. Osmo felt that they could not afford it, but Sonja said, “We can do it!” They found a house plan, built it from scratch and moved in. It was with their work and sacrifice that they paid off their mortgage fifteen years early. That home is where they raised their children and spent the rest of their lives. Osmo died in 2004.
Kirsi moved out after high school to pursue her own activities. Sami continued to always live with them. Sonja was very intelligent, extremely hardworking and had a great sense of humor. She was a very good natured, easygoing, friendly person and was always ready with a smile. Very rarely did she get mad and if she was sad, you would never know it. She was proud of her Finnish heritage and spoke only Finnish to her children and Finnish friends. English was her second language, which she spoke to her American friends, of which she had many.
Sonja went back to Finland a few times in her life. She was a member of the Finnish American Society of Cape Cod as well as a member of the First Lutheran Church of West Barnstable, where her children attended Sunday School. Sonja did some cooking and baking at the church on occasion. Sonja would enjoy the Saint Lucia Day celebration where she would see all of her friends. Sonja’s hobbies were listening to the radio – she loved Elvis; watching movies, looking outside the front window to see the activity outside and the birds coming to the feeder. They were her little friends. Sonja enjoyed making Finnish foods during Thanksgiving and Christmas. She loved spending time at home where she was safe and comfortable.
Sonja loved that she had grandchildren and enjoyed seeing them when they were little. Her son Sami Aaltonen of Centerville and his children Walker and Ryeder and her daughter Kirsi and her children, Benjamin, Sara and Nathan, survive her. Also lovingly survived by her relative Yvonne who moved from Finland to Gottenberg, Sweden. Sonja enjoyed receiving cards from her throughout the year. Sonja was predeceased by her brother Karl from Melbourne Australia.
Her children were blessed by such a caring and loving mother. Sonja was truly loved and will be forever missed. There should be more people as kindhearted as she was. Blessed are the peacemakers for they should be called children of God, Mathew 5:9