Leena Skiba

She moved from Finland to northeast Ohio in 1956, carrying with her a deep love for her Finnish heritage that remained an important part of her life. She graduated from Ashtabula High School in 1965 and from Lutheran School of Nursing in 1968. This same year she met David Skiba, whom she married on August 9, 1969.

She dedicated more than 40 years of her life to serving others as a registered nurse, primarily caring for critically ill patients in the ICU. Though her profession was deeply meaningful to her, her family always came first. She and her husband created a home filled with love, making holidays, birthdays, and family trips especially memorable.

In 2001, she moved to Columbia, South Carolina, where she resided until the time of her death. There, she became a devoted member of Living Springs Lutheran Church, singing in the choir for many years and actively participating in church life.

She found happiness when gardening and loved tending to her plants and flowers. Being outdoors brought her peace and contentment, as did time spent with family and friends. In recent years, her greatest joy was spending time and playing board games with her grandchildren.

She is lovingly remembered by her daughters, Maija Giganti (Sam) and Amy Conroy (Patrick); her cherished grandchildren, Dominic, Jacob, Samuel, and Emilia; her brothers, Heikki Jarvinen and Antti Jarvinen; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her beloved husband David Skiba; her father, Eino Sinkkonen; her mother, Sylvia Sinkkonen; and her birth mother, Helvi Jarvinen, whom she joyfully reunited with as an adult.

A service celebrating her life will be held on Saturday, March 14, at 1:00 p.m. at Dunbar Funeral Home, 4219 Hard Scrabble Rd., Columbia, SC 29223. Refreshments will follow the service. Floral arrangements may be sent to the funeral home.

While it is impossible to fully capture eighty years of a life so beautifully lived, her legacy of faith, family, friendship, generosity, and quiet strength will continue to inspire all who knew her.