Halttunen

Martin Armas Halttunen of Erie died March 18 following a brief illness.

Born March 20, 1925, in New Castle, he was the son of the late Armas and Armida Lehto Halttunen.

Following graduation from Slippery Rock High School in 1943, he served in the Army in the European theater of war as a member of the 8th Armored Division, the famous "Thundering Herd," and was awarded the Purple Heart for wounds suffered at the Battle of Ossenberg near Reheinberg, Germany.

Following his discharge from the Army, he briefly attended college in Pennsylvania before transferring to the University of Illinois, "U of I," where he graduated in 1950 with a bachelor of science in electrical engineering.

Shortly after graduation, he accepted a position as an engineer with General Electric, where he remained for 37 years, retiring in 1987. During his tenure with GE, Martin patented two inventions and submitted at least 10 other inventions for patent consideration. He was a life senior member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and served as chairman of the Erie Section in 1971. He also was a registered professional engineer in Pennsylvania.

A longtime member of Luther Memorial Church, he was a member of the church council, a former Sunday school teacher and part of the driving force behind the building of the addition to the church, which now houses the Luther Memorial Learning Center.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 57 years, Elizabeth Lee Butler Halttunen; his parents; his brothers, David J. (Halttunen) Hartman and Paul O. (Halttunen) Hartman; a sister, Esther Pauline (Halttunen) Hillila; and a granddaughter, Kristine Diane Chapin.

He is survived by four children, Susan Elizabeth Chapin and her husband, Ross, of Slippery Rock, Barbara Ellen Mangan and her husband, Michael, of Winter Park, Fla.; Janet Ruth Kent and her husband, William, of Pittsburgh, and Robert Martin Halttunen and his wife, Rhonda, of Bridgeville, Del.; two sisters, Sylvia Helen Soderstom of Lake Worth, Fla., and Dorothy Roach and her husband, Roger, of Sharpsville; and a brother, William Halttunen and his wife, Connie, of New Wilmington.

Other survivors include seven grandchildren, Michael and Victoria Chapin, Cathy Halttunen Wells, Sara Halttunen, David Halttunen, Amber Halttunen Collins and Nicholas Mangan; a step-grandchild, Sheldon Van De Mark; and two great-granddaughters, Savannah Leigh Adkins Wells and Aiden Matthew Chapin.

<B>HALTTUNEN </B>— Amemorial service for Martin Armas Halttunen, who died Tuesday, March 18, 2008, will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday at Luther Memorial Church, 225 W. 10th St., Erie. A luncheon will follow at the church. Private burial will be later at Laurel Hill Cemetery.In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Luther Memorial Church, 225 W. 10th St., Erie, PA 16501 or to the American Cancer Society, Erie Unit, 2115 West 38th St. Erie, Pa. 16508.Arrangements are being handled by <B>Burton Funeral Home</B>, Erie. Condolences may be submitted at www.burtonfuneralhome.com.