ROCKLAND — Kirsti Annikki Fish passed away peacefully, surrounded by her loving family, on the early morning of February 18, 2026 at the Breakwater Commons in Rockland.

Born on September 11, 1936, in Helsinki, Finland, Kirsti was the daughter of Toive W. and Anna E. (Tasanen) Wilson. Her early childhood was shaped by the resilience required during World War II. While her father served as a Harbor Pilot in Helsinki, Kirsti, her mother, and her brother sought safety in the Finnish countryside. She often spoke of a treasured childhood memory: a special Christmas trip to church by horse and sleigh.

An active youth, she grew up near the Olympic Stadium in Helsinki, where she joined the swimming team and developed into an exceptional athlete. In 1946, at the age of nine, Kirsti emigrated to the United States with her father and two brothers. After a 13-day journey on a freightliner, they arrived on February 1, 1946. Her mother joined them eight months later once her visa was finalized. Kirsti spent seven years in New York City, where her competitive spirit flourished. She was a standout swimmer, placing first in the Manhattan freestyle swimming contest three years in a row and earning second place in the backstroke.

In 1953, the family moved to a working farm in Washington, Maine. Kirsti graduated from Union High School in a close-knit class of ten students. Following graduation, she remained in Washington to raise her family. She was a dedicated professional, retiring from the Sylvania Corporation after 30 years of service across their Waldoboro and Bangor locations.

Kirsti was a pillar of her community and a proud advocate for her Finnish heritage. She served as the President of the Finn-Am Society of Mid-Coast Maine for twelve years and was a devoted member of the Finnish Congregational Church and the Finnish American House.

Her civic involvement was vast, including memberships in the Evening Star Grange, the Fire Department Auxiliary, the Ladies Guild in Washington, the Rockland Emblem Club #200, and the Rockland Lodge of Elks #1008. A proud member of the American Legion Auxiliary Unit 1, she traveled and won numerous competitions as part of the American Legion Color Guard. She also maintained membership with the International Independent Showmen’s Club in Gibsonton, Florida.

Kirsti embraced the Maine outdoors with enthusiasm. Alongside her first husband, Ron, she co-founded the Hill and Gully Riders Snowmobile Club in the early 1970s. She was an avid hunter and fisher, famously tagging a 10-point buck in the 1970s. Many of her happiest moments were spent camping and fishing at Moosehead Lake and Matagamon Stream.

A lifelong traveler, Kirsti returned to Finland frequently. A remarkable highlight of her travels was witnessing two full solar eclipses: one in Helsinki in 1942 and a second in Oulu, Finland, exactly 40 years later in 1982. She took great joy in sharing her homeland with her family, organizing multi-generational bus tours to Finland in 2010 and 2012 to ensure her children and grandsons understood their roots.

Kirsti was predeceased by her first husband, Ronald I. Creamer Sr.; her second husband, Paul K. Nagle; and her third husband, Arthur R. Fish, with whom she shared 21 years of marriage. She was also predeceased by her brother, Toive Wilson (and wife Barbara); her daughter Susanne E. Taylor; and her stepson Tim Nagle.

She is survived by her children Deborah E. Johnston and husband Thomas, Ronald I. Creamer Jr. and wife Theresa, and Laurie L. Stephenson and husband Randy. She is also survived by her stepchildren Lisa Johnston and husband Scott, Arthur "Robbie" Fish Jr. and wife Jill, Tina Fish, and Judy Meuse and husband Jerry. 

Kirsti’s legacy lives on through her grandchildren: Susanne Cooke, Jessica Johnston, Kevin Taylor, Jennifer Garbinski, R. Forrest Flagg III, Christopher Taylor, and Ronald I. Creamer III; as well as 12 great-grandchildren. She leaves behind several cousins in Finland, Germany, and the U.S., and her nephews Billy, Matthew, Christopher, Nicholas, and Zachary Wilson.

Kirsti will be remembered as a devoted mother, wife, volunteer, and friend. Her family extends their deepest gratitude to the caregivers at Breakwater Commons and MaineHealth Hospice for their exceptional care and kindness.

A Celebration of Life will take place Sunday, July 26, 2026, from 1 to 4 p.m., at the Rockland Elks Club, 210 Rankin Street, Rockland.

A graveside committal will take place the following day, Monday, July 27, 2026, at 2 p.m., at the Levensaler Cemetery on Jefferson Road, Route 126, Washington.

To share a memory or condolence with Kirsti’s family may do so on their Book of Memories at bchfh.com.

Arrangements are in the care of Burpee, Carpenter and Hutchins Funeral Home, 110 Limerock Street, Rockland.