Edward William Kangas

He was industrious, innovative, a thinker, a doer and a mentor who maintained a sense of humor throughout his life.

Edward was born on July 12, 1931 to Sam and Aili (Ahola) Kangas in Mass City.

As he grew, Ed attended the local schools and then joined the U.S. Air Force serving in Korea.

Ed married Nancy Rankinen on Aug. 4, 1956, in the Upper Peninsula. The newlyweds ventured west and settled in California for several years. Ed attended L.A. City College and later Heald Engineering College in San Francisco receiving a Mechanical Engineering degree. He returned to Michigan and had a long career as an engineer with Chrysler Corporation, Ford Tractor and then General Dynamics in the Detroit area.

The Kangas household rapidly flourished with six very active children. During this time, Ed and Nancy purchased, renovated and managed over a dozen rental properties together.

Ed was a member of St. John’s Lutheran Church in Redford and at St. Paul’s in Mass City. He was a longtime member of the Finnish Center Association and the Detroit Finnish Summer Camp, where he managed the annual taxes. He also volunteered as an operations planner for Luther Vista Camp in Brighton.

After retirement, Ed and Nancy moved from Farmington to the family farm in the Upper Peninsula’s northern woods. Ed’s favorite activities were snowmobiling in the winter & motorcycling in the summer. Yearlong, he took his evening sauna. He was proud of his cultural heritage, he spoke Finnish, traveled to Finland and instilled “Sisu” meaning within his family. He always enjoyed gadgets and technology and was a very early adapter to the first generation of home computers in the 1980s.

Ed is fondly remembered for his many “Ed-ism” quotes, his hearty laugh and smile and his continuous quest to fix or figure something out.

Surviving are his wife Nancy, (married for 68 years), their 6 children; Tina (Ken), Teresa (Gary), Diane (Don), Kevin (Nance), Karen Gunn and Kalevi Kangas. Also brother John (Clara) and Dave. There are 5 grandchildren; Peter Gunn (Sarah), Michael Gunn, Andrew Kangas (Kaitlyn), Isaac Kangas, Katie Kangas. Preceded in death are his parents Sam and Aili Kangas and special uncle Toivo Kangas. Brother Lawrence (Florence), sisters Ruth Lucas, Mildred (Charlie Holmstrom), Joan (Everett Johnson). Also, brother-in-law Olaf Rankinen (Helen) & son-in-law Calvin Gunn.

Burial will be at the Greenland Cemetery on a date to be set in the summer of 2025, followed by a Celebration of Life at the Kangas Homestead Farm.

Donations can be sent to Omega House, Hospice and Respite Care, 2211 Maureen Lane, Houghton, MI 49931. www.omega-house.org.