Paavo John Rahkonen

When John was called home on December 16th 2009, not only was he ready but longing to join his beloved Savior Jesus-Christ. John had been courageously fighting a rare incurable disease for three years with faith and dignity.
John was born in "Finntown" in Brooklyn, N.Y. on January 6th, 1930, the second child of Paarly Johannes Rahkonen and Linda Lujunen who immigrated to the United States from their native Finland. John has one sister, Mary Moynihan.
He graduated from Bay Ridge High School and later was a student of the U.S.A.F. Institute and Technical Schools, the University of Tennessee and the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, N.Y.
The scientific course that John's life took early in his teenage years is in direct relation to his quest for the truth about God's existence: his father was a staunch atheist, but not his mother. When he was fifteen, the bombing of Hiroshima happened. This is when he started building rockets with the hope that space travels, one day, would bring answers to mankind from wiser beings on how to live in peace here on Earth.
Many years later, as an adult, he was blessed with many answers but on a spiritual basis that had nothing to do with strict science, and he gained an indestructible testimony of Christ that changed his life.
John always had a great love for the United States and the Constitution. Freedom, Justice and Ethics were his ideals, he loathed greed and deceit.
John joined the U. S. Air Force in January 1948 until January 1954. He was a Staff Sergeant, a Crew Chief on Aircrafts, mostly in Germany, then in England, and spent the last three years based in the U.S. In the early seventies, he joined the USAF Reserve as a maintenance specialist on jet planes at Hill Air Force Base in Utah.
John worked as a Senior Mechanic crew-chief for Republic Aviation in New-York State, and as a Technical Representative for Curtis-Wright Corporation onboard of U.S. Navy carriers Forrestal, Saratoga, and Roosevelt, working with the jet pilots whom he admired. He was a Maintainability Engineer for Martin-Marietta in Denver (Titan Program), prior to moving his family to Utah.
He was a Chemist at the Development Lab of Morton-Thiokol where he directed the research resulting in the propellant for the Large Space Booster. He courageously continued working at the Research and Development Lab of the Company after an industrial accident affected his health and his career. He retired in 1990.
John was also the Manager and President of Propulsion Dynamics Inc. designing and developing solid propellant rockets, on occasion for Government contractors, but mostly developing motors for rocket modelers and amateurs across the Country or consulting to oil wells blasting companies. He was a technical editor of an amateur rocket magazine and taught amateurs how to construct their rockets safely.
He was attending or participating to many FAA sanctioned rocket launches, this was a joy for him and he was recognized and respected by his friends for his contribution in the field s of chemistry, rocketry and propulsion.
John was married twice, he first married Pirrko Helena Makela in 1954, they had four children. In January 1986, he married Francoise Codirolle and her daughter Estelle May became part of his family. John and Fran were sealed in the Ogden Temple for time and Eternity.
John is survived by his wife Francoise of Ogden, Utah, his children; Carl (Sharon) Rahkonen, Robert (Dianna) Rahkonen, Lisa Rahkonen, Christina (Bob) Rahkonen and Estelle (Kevin) Nelson. A sister; Mary (Don) Moynihan, thirteen grandchildren and six great grandchildren. A sister-in-law, Monique (George) Rustuel, many cousins, nieces, and nephews in Finland, France and the U.S. He was preceded in death by his parents and beloved grandaughter Elizabeth Rahkonen.
John loved life, he was a passionate individual with many interests, most of them he shared with his wife Fran: hiking, skiing, nature watching and wildlife. He loved classical music and Irish folklore. He was an avid reader, many subjects were discussed at home or with friends and children or grandchildren. His studies in astronomy were of prime importance to him. His busy and somewhat unusual life inspired a film by Veli Matti Grané¶ who titled it "A Strange Message from Another Star", it received several awards abroad.
A memorial service in celebration of his life will take place in the Spring or early Summer of 2010, location, date and time to be announced.
We thank first and foremost, our family, friends and church members of the 1st Rock Cliff Ward. The Caregiver Support Network team for their care, the doctors, nurses and others at the VA Hospitals in Salt Lake and Ogden, the special individuals from various departments of Weber and Box Elder Counties and Ogden City; including Fire, Police and administrators for their kind support.