"Emily" Vuokko Irmeli Harrison

Vuokko “Emily” Harrison died December 21, 2013. She had been tenderly cared for by her husband Harlan over the past several years but her death came rather suddenly.

She was born November 19, 1939 in Kuopio, Finland to Aarne Olavi and Martta Helena Puustjarvi Vaananen. She lived in Finland until 1959 when she came to the United States to study at BYU.

She was the secretary of the BYU Finnish club and fell in love with the club president, Harlan Foster Harrison. They were sealed in the St. George Temple June 3 1961. Eventually they had nine children: Mimsi, Kristiina (Greg) Sorensen, Amy, Jon, Anne-Marie (Eugene Paulsen), Jane (Mark) Flinn, Mary (Mark) Lefler, David (Emily), and Kate (Rob) Getzschman, plus their unofficially adopted daughter, Sharon Eubank.

Emily was a gifted and creative teacher. For many years, she worked as a teacher at the MTC, where she taught new missionaries to manage the intricacies of the Finnish language while infusing them with a love for the culture and beauty of Finland. She then worked as an office manager for Dr. Glade Smith, and later as a favorite substitute teacher at Maeser Elementary School.

For nearly twenty years she volunteered as a translator for the LDS church, and she also served as a volunteer in the office of the Provo Temple for many years. She had a strong testimony of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and was particularly happy when she could help strengthen the church in her homeland.

The Harrison home was full with their large family, but there was always room for guests, students who needed a helping hand, or for friends and even strangers in need. Emily taught her children to be tolerant, sensitive, and generous to everyone. She and Harlan showed by example how to love unconditionally, how to value relationships above any material good, and to love the opportunity to be of service.

Emily created a home where beautiful art, good books, and spirited conversations were abundant. She took delight in debating any topic, especially religion and politics! She had a weakness for rum candies, which both horrified and delighted her kids.

Above all, she loved being a grandmother. She was willing to bake hundreds of gingerbread cookies with grandkids of all ages. She loved to take her grandchildren to plays, movies, or the state fair. She taught all of her posterity to treasure their Finnish heritage, and one of the grandest highlights of our family history was a trip to Finland in the summer of 2008 where every single child, spouse, and grandchild accompanied her to a wonderful family wedding.

Emily is preceded in death by her children Amy and Jon, her parents, her beloved in-laws, Foster and Dixie Harrison, their son Wells, and a dearly loved sister-in-law, Lynne Carr. She is survived by her devoted husband, her children, 21 grandchildren, her brother Raimo (Inga) and his family, sister-in-law Marja Vaananen, sister-in law Miriam (Larry) Nelson, and brother-in-law Russell (Pat) Carr.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, December 24, 2013 at the Grandview 9th Ward Chapel, 1555 North 1350 West, Provo, Utah. The family would love to visit with friends on Monday, December 23 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Berg Mortuary in Provo, 185 East Center Street. Interment, Provo City Cemetery.