Roy Piispanen

ROY PIISPANEN Cedar Rapids Roy J. Piispanen, 88, formerly of Cedar Rapids, died at his home in Fort Washington, Md., on Jan. 30, 2015. Funeral services will be 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 7, at Murdoch-Linwood Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Cedar Rapids. Visitation will be from 1 to 2 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home. Burial: Linwood Cemetery, Cedar Rapids. Roy was born Oct. 21, 1926, in Aitkin, Minn., the youngest son of 12 children to Jerry and Lydia (Ahola) Piispanen. Roy graduated from Aitkin High School in 1944. Roy served honorably in the U.S. Navy as a Storekeeper Third-Class, sailing the South Pacific during World War II from October 1944 to September 1947 on the USS Duluth. On May 21, 1964, Roy married Vera J. Pilgrim in Swisher, Iowa. They remained united in marriage for 40 wonderful years. She passed away in 2004. Roy worked at National Oats as a millright for 38 years until he retired in 1988. He was a master carpenter and could fix or build anything; his work was absolutely magnificent. Roy was a member of Fraternal Order of Eagles and Trinity Lutheran Church for over 50 years. He enjoyed working puzzles, watching and feeding the birds and squirrels, and most recently living with his three great- granddaughters. He will always be remembered warmly and forever be missed by his loving family. Roy is survived by his daughter, Sharon Feiereisen of Fort Washington, Md.; two grandchildren, Lt. Colonel Tawnya (Kenneth) Evans Jr. of Fort Washington, Md., and John (Rebecca) Feiereisen of Cedar Rapids; and five great-grandchildren, Xavier, Mariah, Xiomara, Katalaya and Atalia Evans. Memorials may be directed to American Cancer Society. Please share a memory of Roy online at www. murdochfuneralhome.com under obituaries.