Nykkanen, Loma Pearl

Loma Pearl Nykkanen, 71, of Waukon, passed away Thursday, Nov. 5, 2009, in the Sacred Valley in Cusco, Peru, Thursday, Nov. 5, 2009, of lung failure. A memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at St. Paul's United Methodist Church, Waukon. Friends may call beginning at 9:30 a.m. Saturday.

Loma was born Aug., 17, 1938, in Los Angeles, Calif., and graduated from Hollywood High School. She worked for Pacific Bell 30 years before retiring. She later graduated from the Try Community of Photography in Covina, Calif. She became a photographer in International Free Lance Photographer Association and Loma has had several pictures published in magazines and newspapers. Loma loved to travel and after moving to Iowa, Erik and Loma joined the Heritage Club. She was a member of the Browning Club of Waukon, Master Gardener, on the board of directors at Nashua Research Farm for Allamakee County, American Legion Auxiliary Harpers Ferry and served as the senior vice commander of the La Crosse Unit 521 Ladies Auxiliary, VFW Auxiliary Lansing and was historian for the State of Wisconsin Military Order of the Purple Heart.

She is survived by her husband, Erik; two daughters, Michelle Barbari of Long Beach Calif., and Yvette Barbari of Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.; stepchildren, Annette Quaderer of Commerce Township, Mich., Erica Hanson of Waukon, and Robert Nykkanen of Detroit, Ala.; a brother, Robert (Birgitta) Porter of San Bernardino, Calif.; a sister, Joan (Richard) Sweeny of Alexandria, Va.; 10 grandchildren; and adoptive granddaughter, Jessica Cepeda of Decorah.

Online condolences may be left for the family at