Olaf Kivioja Obituary

Olaf E. Kivioja, age 82, died October 13, 2012 in Florissant, MO. He had been a resident for only two weeks after moving from Baraboo, Wisconsin. He died of a short illness at Christian Northern Hospital. A Funeral Mass will be held October 20th at St. Alexander's Church in Villa Park, IL at 10:00 a.m. Visitation is 9 a.m. at the church. In addition, a Memorial Service will be held Tuesday, October 23, 2012 at 11 a.m. at St. Joseph's Church in Baraboo. Mr. Kivioja lived for 37 years in Villa Park before moving to Baraboo, Wisconsin. During that period Olaf always felt that it was important to give back to the community that you live in. He did this in Villa Park where he was selected as runner up in the annual Citizen of the Year contest. The award was in recognition to his many years as a scout leader (many of the young men in the Villa Park area remember him as "Mr. K"); PTA president and 25 years of service on the Village's Traffic and Safety Commission. He and Peggy lived in Villa Park, IL and attended St. Alexander's Church, where he served as an Usher. They moved to Baraboo to be near their Wisconsin family in 2000. Olaf retired from Elkay Mfg., in Illinois. He served his new community by becoming a member of the City Council, serving as Alderperson of District 3, Wards 4 and 5. He resigned in Dec. 2009 due to health reasons. He was a member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church and a lifelong member of the American Legion. He also served his country as a member of the US Army during the Korean conflict. Olaf worked most of his engineering career in the Chicago area including Elkay Mfg. and Refrigerating Specialties. His early life was affected by the conflict of war torn Europe. Olaf was born in Parnu, Estonia to his parents Julia and Harald Kivioja on May 6, 1930. During his childhood and youth, his country was occupied by two nations - first, Russia and then Germany. As the tide of the World War II changed, Russia once again was preparing to occupy Estonia. Olaf's family were forced to leave their country rather than face the possibility of deportation to Siberia. At the end of the war, the family found themselves in the Russian zone. Once again, they had to flee. In the American zone, they lived in a displaced person camp before coming to the United States in 1949. Olaf was an electrical engineering graduate from Ohio State University. It was there that he met his wife, Peggy Quinn. They were married on September 4, 1954 in Columbus, Ohio. 1954 was a big year for him: he graduated from college in Dec. &`54, became a citizen of the US also in December, was drafted into the U.S. Army and was married. He returned to Germany later, serving as a translator for the Army. He was preceded in death by his parents, Julia and Harold; step-father John Ilves; and his in-laws, Katherine and Thomas Quinn, who loved him as a son. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Peggy, currently of Ferguson, MO; three children, Julie Rogers (Michael) of Sauk City, WI, Thomas of Spokane, WA and Lisa Kaliski (Steve) of Ferguson, MO; grandsons, Charles and James Arndt, of Sauk City; step-brother George (Debbie) Ilves of Elizabethton, TN and step-sister, Ivi (Sandor) Karady of Mountainside, NJ. He is also survived by a lifelong friend, Quentin Questel (Joyce) of Indianapolis, IN and many young adults who affectionately called him Dad or Uncle Olie - and a beloved feline friend, "Gus". Following the services, Olaf will be returned to Columbus, Ohio for private internment. Arrangements by Steuerle Funeral Home, Ltd, (630) 832-4161.