IRJA MARIA VIRTANEN-MILBOURN

Irja Maria Virtanen-Milbourne passed away on July 1, 2026, at the age of 86. Born on September 6, 1939, in Muolaa, Finland, to Ida and Hugo, she was among the last generation of Finnish-Karelians born on the isthmus. Irja spent her early years in Sweden as a Finnish war child, where she was fostered by the Hägglunds family. She later returned to Finland, studied nursing in Turku and Oulu, and practiced her profession in both Finland and Sweden. In the 1970s, she moved to Washington, DC, where she met her husband, Paul, and they built a life together in Montreal, Ottawa, Philadelphia, and finally settled in Mississauga. Irja was a devoted mother to her twins, Kristina and Peter. She is predeceased by her siblings, Airi, Matti, and Jorma. Funeral arrangements are being handled by Turner & Porter Neweduk Funeral Home.