Brightwood resident, Warren “Vel” Ranta died at his home on Saturday, October 17, 2009. He was 72.
At his request, no service will be held.
Warren Wayne Ranta was born on May 16, 1937 in Negaunee, Michigan to Waino and Irene (Lampi) Ranta. He was raised by his grandmother, Signie in Ishpeming, Michigan and received his schooling there.
As a young boy, he along with his uncle moved to Wyoming where they lived and worked at Yellowstone National Park. They later moved to Butte, Montana where they worked in the underground mines.
Vel returned to Michigan where he met and later married Patricia Peterson. They were united in marriage on September 27, 1957 in Ishpeming. They lived in Ishpeming and began their family. Moving to Oregon in 1959, they made their home in Portland where he began his career in construction. He was employed with Corey Gustaffson doing water proofing and later worked for K & M Construction as a Tuck Pointer until retiring in 1995.
In 1997, Vel and Pat moved to the mountain where they made their home in Brightwood. They later remodeled and made it a cozy cabin near the river.
Vel was an avid fisherman, hunter and hiking. He and Pat especially enjoyed hiking in the woods in the Mt. Hood area. Vel also enjoyed both downhill and cross country skiing, picking huckleberries, traveling in their motor home and working both inside and out at their home. Vel was a ski jumper as a young boy and continued jumping until he was 30. He was a member of the National Ski Team and the local ski clubs both in Michigan and Oregon. He was a longtime member of the Bricklayers Union Local #1. Vel was a wonderful loving husband and father. He had many friends and will be greatly missed.
Surviving is his wife Pat of 52 years; his daughters, Donna Jasper of Molalla and Laurie Ranta of Brightwood; his son, Brian Ranta of Houston, Texas; his sister, Christine Hoffman and and Lynn Kitowski both of Nevada; his brother, Eli Ranta of Michigan; 2 grandchildren, David Jr. and Crystal and 1 great granddaughter, Abbagail. He is preceded in death by his son David in 2003.