Obituary | Susanna Lehmuskoski 1970–2023

Philosophical Master of Arts Susanna Lehmuskoski (b Frost) died of cancer on April 30, 2023 in Helsinki. He was 53 years old, born in Oulu on February 8, 1970.

Lehmuskoski spent his childhood in Raahe and Pulkkila. He moved to Oulu to study in the early 1990s. In 1997, he had enough of small towns and moved to Helsinki. He immediately recognized Helsinki as his own place where he wants to spend the rest of his life – and he did.

Although Lehmuskoski had studied to become a mother tongue teacher, the media world took him along. His first job in Helsinki was in the Helsingin Sanomat department, which at the time was called personal news or among acquaintances Välkky-landia after his predecessor Leila “Välkky” Välkevirna. At the department, Lehmuskoski, among other things, edited obituaries to fit the newspaper and did birthday interviews.

After a few years at Helsingin Sanomat, Lehmuskoski switched to the magazine industry. He spent 13 years at Sanoma’s magazine house: he worked as an editorial secretary at Gloria, a producer at Memäur Perhee and Kodin Kuvalehti, and as an editorial manager at Glorian Kodi.

In 2015, Lehmuskoski began to yearn for a change in life and set out to become a freelance entrepreneur in the media industry. He wrote articles for newspapers and magazines. For example, Lehmuskoski wrote a lot of articles on the topic of interior design and living for Helsingin Sanomat.

At the age of 48 in 2018, Lehmuskoski decided to change his field: he wanted to start doing what he had trained for. He got a position as a native language and literature teacher at Lauttasaari Community School in Helsinki. He found the mission of his last years in educating the new generation: when he went to work in the morning, he never had to think about whether the work was purposeful.

However, Lehmuskoski’s career as a teacher was cut short: on Valentine’s Day in 2022, he fell ill.

Susanna in Lehmuskoski had husband Mikko and daughter Irina. She loved her family, friends, traveling, yoga and dogs. He was involved in animal rights issues. He also loved literature and writing and enjoyed reading and writing until the last days of his life.

After falling ill, Lehmuskoski wanted to write his feelings and thoughts in a book. His and Krista Launonen’s information book In the middle of everything will be published in August by Avai. The book reflects on how to live with incurable cancer and say goodbye to life.

Krista Launonen

Johanna Pakkanen

Annika Suomi

The authors are friends and sister of Susanna Lehmuskoski.