Sept. 23, 1949 – Aug. 19, 2021
From her first breath, the life of Sirpa Paulikki Ylisaari Gubler was a miracle. Born in Northern Finland near the Arctic Circle in a town called Rovaniemi, she came into the world with Finnish sisu (which means: extraordinary determination and courage in the face of repeating extreme adversity).
She kept her sisu throughout her mortal life, which began on Sept. 23, 1949, and closed almost 72 years later on Aug. 19, 2021. Her loving parents, Aarre and Paula Ylisaari, were the parents of eight children. She married Dennis Grant Gubler for time and all eternity on Nov. 25, 1972 in the St. George Temple. They became the parents of five children, who became, through marriage, 10.
From a young age, she had a love of learning, music, handwork, homemaking and the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She enjoyed learning new things and pursued college courses in music, a certification in interior design, spent time learning German and Swedish and was fluent in Finnish and English. She loved music and spent years learning to sing and play the piano and organ. She taught piano lessons to many, and even spent time learning to play the harmonica and bells.
Her hobbies included crochet, knitting, sewing, gardening, baking, puzzles and Sudoku. She used the talents of her life to bless her family and the people around her. Her family would all agree that she made everything special.
She is survived by her devoted husband, Dennis Gubler of Ivins, Utah; her five children, Eric (Aja), Paula (Justus), Mark (Andelin), Tanya (Dean), and Karl (Kathy); 17 grandchildren, Michael, Kyra, Valerie, Kurt, Alexandra, Julia, William, Kayley, Grant, Timothy, Ella, Liesl, Stetson, Abigail, Erik, Hans and Leif; three sisters, Pirjo (Bernard), Kirsi (Jouko), Virpi (Jukka); three brothers: Ari, Arto (Sari), Harri (Eija). She is preceded in death by her parents, Aarre and Paula Ylisaari; and a brother, Riku, who died in infancy.
The family would like to offer their sincere gratitude to the hospital staff at St. George Regional Hospital for their compassion and professionalism, and family, friends, and the Ivins 5th and 10th Ward Relief Societies for their tremendous outpouring of support and love. We could not have done this without you.
Funeral Services will be held at the Center Street Chapel of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Ivins, Friday at 10:30 a.m. with a viewing that morning from 8-10 a.m. and Thursday evening from 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Please visit www.hughesmortuary.com to leave condolences.