Remembering Ben Mukkala (1930 – 2013)

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Ms. Carol Brady, Board Member of the Marquette Regional History Center, presenting Ben Mukkala with the Helen Paul Longyear Award "For the preservation and enhancement of history in Marquette County"

Ms. Carol Brady, Board Member of the Marquette Regional History Center, presenting Ben Mukkala with the Helen Paul Longyear Award “For the preservation and enhancement of history in Marquette County


The U.P. Publishers and Authors Association sadly marks the passing of one of its longtime members, Ben Mukkala.
Ben was a pioneer of self-publishing, authoring several books including Copper, Timber, Iron and Heart, Come on Along, and The Gift of Wings, based on his experiences as a pilot in the U.S. Air Force. He served in the Korean and Vietnam Wars and earned the rank of major.
As an author, Ben was always willing to help others with information and share his love for U.P. history, the subject of many of his books. He spoke to classes at NMU about being an author and self-publishing, he gave presentations to fourth graders across the state of Michigan via long distance learning about the lumberjack era, and he gave cemetery tours of Big Bay, Michigan, regaling people with tales of former lumberjacks.
A true storyteller, man of spirit, and U.P. legend, Ben Mukkala will be long missed. We are all better for having known him.
You can read more about Ben at: http://www.miningjournal.net/page/content.detail/id/591052/Journal-columnist-Ben-Mukkala-dies.html?nav=5006 and his website: www.benmukkala.com

One Comment

  1. Thanks for this well-deserved tribute!

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