DELORAINE, Man. — Impi Orvokki Roinila (Vesalainen), 85, of Brandon, Manitoba, passed away in Deloraine, Manitoba on June 18, 2026, after a brief illness. Born in Nastola, Finland on Dec. 6, 1940, Impi came to Canada in 1974 with her husband Olavi, carrying two suitcases and three young sons.
Born on the evacuation trail from Viipuri to Pori, Finland, during WWII, she spent 3–4 years as a child war evacuee with her sister in Sweden, returning to Finland without knowing the language or family. She assimilated to post-war life in Finland, living in a small home with her parents and eight siblings.
At the age of 19, she married Olavi Roinila in Pori and the couple moved to Helsinki. She gave birth to sons Mika (1961) and Tomi (1963) in Helsinki. From there the family emigrated to Australia in 1967 as Olavi sought a better life for the family. Their third son Ricky was born in Sydney in 1968.
“Once an immigrant, always an immigrant” is a well-known saying, and the return to Finland in 1970 led to more moves over a four-year period, until the family emigrated to Canada in 1974.
Life experience in Canada included homes in Winnipeg, Manitoba; Vancouver, British Columbia; and Thunder Bay, Ontario; and eventual return to Finland in 1990, where she lived with Olavi until he passed away in 2010. Impi returned to Canada, and with the passing of her son Ricky, she settled in Brandon, Manitoba, where she lived at the Westman Lions Manor.
Due to a sudden diagnosis of cancer, she persevered with Finnish sisu until the end, passing away after meeting with many members of her family on June 18, 2026.
She is survived by Mika (Grace) Roinila of Battle Creek, Mich., and Tomi (Sherry) Roinila of Williston, North Dakota; six grandchildren, two step-granddaughters and 25 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband Olavi (2010) and son Ricky Roinila (2010).
A celebration of life and interment service will be held in Buxton, N.D., in summer 2027.