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Walter Nummela, 81, of Rocky River, Ohio had his homegoing peacefully on Tuesday, August 16 at the Lutheran Home at Concord Reserve, Westlake, Ohio.

Walter was born in 1929, the youngest of seven children, to August and Olga Nummela in Chisholm, Minnesota. He graduated from Chisholm High School in 1948, attended Hibbing Junior College and graduated from the University of Minnesota with a master’s degree in metallurgical engineering.

He was employed by Cleveland- Cliffs iron ore mining company as a metallurgist in Michigan. He subsequently received his doctorate in metallurgical engineering at M.I.T. Walter spent four years at Youngstown Sheet and Tube before returning to Cleveland –Cliffs (now Cliffs Natural Resources) in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. In 1989 Walter was named “Iron Maker of the Year” and a picture of him climbing an iron ore pellet pile in an orange hard hat was the cover of the Cleveland-Cliffs, Inc. annual report. He was Chief Metallurgist, rising to Manager of Research and Development. In 1984 he was transferred to the Cleveland Headquarters and completed his career as Director of Customer Technical Services. He retired in 1999 and continued to do consulting until 2003.

In Michigan, Walter served as a director of the First National Bank of Negaunee and was a member and president of the Negaunee School Board. He interviewed M.I.T. applicants.

His greatest joy was spending time at his Lake Superior cottage, running the beach, swimming, canoeing with his wife and teaching woodworking skills to his grandchildren. Walter also enjoyed fly fishing, tennis and skiing. He was a long-time partner in Camp Conibear, an association of dear hunting friends.

Walter was a member of the Cleveland West Road Runners, the “Oatmeal Milers” and ran in twenty-two 10K Rite Aid races. He also belonged to Our Savior’s Rocky River Lutheran Church, the Association of Iron and Steel Engineers and the Association for Iron and Steel Technology, as well as his collegiate alumni associations.

Walter was the beloved husband of Katrina (nee Longenecker) and the late Mary Louise (nee Brumm) and father of Fred (Bonnie) of Racine, Wisconsin, Dan of Kalamazoo, Michigan, and Jane of Island Lake, Illinois. He was the grandfather of Alec and Max, brother of Elena (Robert) Arnebeck of Chisholm, Minnesota), brother-in-law of Ray Kackley of Winchester, Virginia, and dear friend and uncle of many. He was the step-father of Rebecca (Wally) Anders, Jill (Dan) Roman and Debra (Bill) Patterson and step-grandfather of Molly and Peter Roman and Margaux Patterson. He was the brother of the late John, Eric, Martha Finn; Uno and Helena Kackley.

The family feels profound gratitude for the outstanding and compassionate care Walter received at Concord Reserve and St. John Medical Center and the caring service from Hospice of the Western Reserve.

Visitation will be Friday, August 19, 2011, from 4 to 7pm at Busch Funeral Home, 21369 Center Ridge Road, Fairview Park, Ohio. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, August 20, at 10:30am at the Lutheran Home at Concord Reserve, 2116 Dover Center Road, Westlake, Ohio 44145.

In lieu of flowers, the family would be grateful for contributions to The Lutheran Home at the above address, or to Bay Cliff Health Camp, P.O. Box 310, Big Bay, Michigan 49808. www.buschfuneral.com 440-333-9774.