Lauri John Maki, 82, of Hanson, died, Thursday, July 23rd in the Jordan Hospital in Plymouth after a period of failing health. He was the beloved husband of Constance (McKim) (Chenowith) Maki and son of the late Nestor M. and Margaret J. (Hautala) Maki.
Lauri was born in a little house on the edge of a cranberry bog in Pembroke, MA, in 1926, during the harvesting season. He was the fourth in a family of seven children. Mother and father and three siblings had arrived from Finland the year before.
Lauri went to school in Hanson and attended Whitman High School. He left school to work on a chicken farm, which he later managed. Then the family moved to a chicken farm in Pembroke. He ran that farm,
together with his brother during WWII and after.
At various times, Lauri also worked in a machine shop, making blacktop driveways, cutting trees to clear land for power line, and he had a gas station for a time. Then he went to work as a carpenter, and his brother Toivo joined him when he came home from the Army.
After working for builders for two years, Lauri and Toivo started their own construction company. They were well respected in the area and built many homes, additions, remodeling and commercial projects. In 1965 Lauri built and managed a convenience store in Pembroke, “The Country Corner” until he sold it in 1971. He went back to work with his brother until he retired in 1988.
In 1964 they built a house for Connie, whose husband had died. In 1966 Connie and Lauri were married. Connie had two sons, one in Stowe, VT., and one in Australia. “Cap” is in VT with his wife “Ginny” and their daughter Kelsey. Mark is in Australia, near Sydney, with his wife Maureen and sons Christopher, Luke and Benjamin.
Lauri and Connie made the trip to Australia once, and they have been to Hawaii and several times to Stowe, VT. They also had a cottage in Orleans, Cape Cod, for several years, where they spent sometime and also rented it out. It had two efficiency units in addition to the main cottage.
It is amazing that Lauri was able to accomplish all that he did, in spite of the fact that he was born with club feet, which at the time Children’s hospital was not able to correct.
In addition to his wife and sons, he is survived by his brother, Toivo Maki of Middleboro, his three sisters Taimi Metzger and Ann Anderson both of Plympton and Aileen Hanson of Pembroke; several nieces , nephews, great nieces and nephews. He was also the brother of the late Onni A. Maki and Ellen Anderson.
His services will be held on Wednesday July 29th at 10:00AM in the Blanchard Funeral Chapel Plymouth Street (Rt. 58 at the rotary) Whitman. Interment will follow in the Fern Hill Cemetery, Hanson, MA. Visitation will be on Tuesday July 28th from 6:00-8:00PM.Donations may be made in his name to the Alzheimer’s Assoc. MA Chapter, 311 Arsenal St, Watertown, MA 02472 or to the Charity of One’s Choice.