Denina Kantola

Her funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 1, at Harvey Anderson Funeral Home in Willmar. Visitation will take place from 5-7 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 28, at the funeral home and will continue one hour prior to the service on Saturday. Arrangements are with Harvey Anderson Funeral Home in Willmar, Minnesota (www.hafh.org).

Denina was born on Aug. 25, 1978, in Willmar, Minnesota, to Loren and Karen (Fernholz) Corle. She grew up in Raymond until 1985, when her family moved to Willmar. She attended Willmar Public Schools, graduating from Willmar High School in 1996. She then pursued her passion for design at Mankato State University, earning a bachelor’s degree in interior design.

Denina’s career took her to Houghton, where she worked at Gartner’s Gallery and later as the produce manager at Keweenaw Co+op in Hancock. In 2013, she returned to Minnesota, settling in New London. On Oct. 3, 2015, Denina and David Kantola were joined in marriage at the Loren and Kathy Corle residence in New London. She dedicated herself to being a stay-at-home mother to her three children: Niilo, Nora, and Nolan.

Denina was known for her creativity and artistic talents, with a love for painting, decorating, and crafting. She also enjoyed gardening, hiking, cross-country skiing, cooking, and baking. An avid reader and lifelong learner, she cherished exploring new ideas. She and David shared a passion for the outdoors, which included visiting several state parks in the Upper Midwest. Above all, Denina was a devoted mother who poured her heart into making birthdays and special moments unforgettable for her children.

She is survived by her husband, David; her three children, Niilo Kaunonen (17), Nora Kantola (6), and Nolan Kantola (4); her father and stepmother, Loren and Kathy Corle of New London; her siblings, Becky (Tim) Tramm of Willmar, and Travis Corle of Atwater, Minnesota; stepsister, Jessica (Chad) Haugen of Spicer, Minnesota; her step-grandmother, Dolores Shreffler; as well as many beloved nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, and cousins.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Karen Corle, in 2012; and her grandparents.