PORTLAND — Lt. Col. Anna Riitta Eliasen, 72, of Parker Circle in Saco, was promoted to Glory surrounded by her kids, David, Dan and Cindy on Thursday, Sept. 21, at Maine Medical Center.

She was born in Oulu, Finland on Aug. 11, 1945, the daughter of David and Martta Hamalainen. Anna moved to Brazil at a young age.

Then, at the age of 19, she married Samuel Eliasen and attended officer training school in New York. Her first appointment was in Erie, Penn., and then had various appointments in the New York City area. She and her husband did missionary work in Puerto Rico, Argentina and Spain. After her husband’s death, she returned to Finland and then back to New York, from which she retired. Anna moved to Maine in 2011.

She spoke four languages and enjoyed teaching scripture and theology.

She is survived by her mother, of Finland; two sons, David Eliasen and wife, Lorena of Ponte Verde, Fla., and Dan Eliasen and wife, Michelle of Lewiston; a daughter, Cindy Eliasen of London, U.K., three sisters, Anneli Franke and husband Paulo, Lys Bastos Gama and husband Daniel and Aila Lopes and husband Claudio; a brother, Markku Hamalainen; and four grandchildren, Salome, Morgan, Trevor and Shane and fiancée Kimberly.

Anna Riitta Eliasen