Kaurala, Martin 1910-2010.

Martin John Kaurala was born September 8, 1910, in Mass City, son of the late Isaac and Olga Kaurala. He attended the country school through grade eight and graduated from Greenland Township High School with the Class of 1929. During the Depression years, he worked on the family farm and as a deliveryman for the Mass Cooperative Company. He was one of thousands of citizens who collected signatures for enactment of Social Security legislation, unemployment compensation and collective bargaining by unions. Martin served in the U.S. Army from December 1942 to November 1945. His Ordinance Company spent two of the three years in Western Europe. He was a life member of the Disabled American Veterans, serving in various offices (excerpted from The Daily Mining Gazette, May 12, 2010). Following his honorable discharge, Martin completed a correspondence course in accounting. He was employed as a bookkeeper by the Mass Co-op Co., and served the Co-op in many capacities throughout the years. He was a member of the Board of Directors that facilitated the dissolution of the Co-op and distribution of its assets to its former patrons. He enjoyed sharing his knowledge and memories through his writings. Many of them may be found in the archives of Michigan Tech and Finlandia University. Martin Kaurala passed away in 2010.