Worcester, MA -- Margit S. Hanslin, age 82, of Fitchburg, Mass., died on Nov. 26, 2009, at UMass Memorial Medical Center in Worcester, Mass.
Ms. Hanslin was born on July 12, 1927 in Jyvaskyla, Finland, the daughter of Vaino and Martta (Barqvist) Rontu. She graduated from high school in Helsinki, Finland, in 1945 and lived in Helsinki until she immigrated to the United States in 1954 with her family. In addition to raising her family in Fitchburg, Margit studied at Stevens Business College in Fitchburg and developed a career in the travel field including many years as co-owner of Hanslin Travel Service in Fitchburg. She moved to Lake Worth, Fla. in 1987, where she was very active in the Finnish community, including volunteer work at the Finnish American Rest Home, but eventually returned to live with family in Fitchburg in 2007.
Margit is survived by loving daughter Merit Mailloux and son-in-law Paul Mailloux of Fitchburg; loving daughter Meria Hanslin of Charlestown, R.I.; loving son Mark Hanslin and daughter-in-law Suzy Hanslin of Princeton Junction, N.J.; five adoring grandchildren Christopher Mailloux, Jessica Mailloux, Tom Hanslin, Brian Hanslin, and Sarah Hanslin; and several cousins in Finland.
A memorial service will be held 2:00 p.m. on Sunday Dec. 13 at the Bosk Funeral Home, 85 Blossom St., Fitchburg. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the Finnish American Rest Home, 1800 South Drive, Lake Worth, Fla. 33461, or by calling the FARH at (561) 588-4333.