Armi Kuusela

Birth Name: Armi Helena Kuusela

Place of Birth: Muhos, Finland

Date of Birth: 20 August, 1934

Ethnicity: Finnish, remote German [including Baltic German], remote Swedish

Armi Kuusela is a Finnish charity worker, model, and beauty queen. She won the Finnish Suomen Neito contest, and then won the first Miss Universe pageant, in 1952.

She is the daughter of Martta Elisabet (Ekholm, later Kyrö) and Aarne Aleksander Kuusela. Armi is of Finnish descent, and also has remote German, including Baltic German, and remote Swedish, ancestry on her mother’s side. Armi is married to American diplomat Albert N. Williams. She has five children with her late husband, Filipino businesperson, developer, and hotelier Virgilio Hilario, to whom she was married until his death. She became a U.S. citizen in 1996.

Armi’s paternal grandfather was Juho Reetu Juho Reetunpoika Granroos (later Kuusela; the son of Juho Reetu Juho Reetunpoika Granroos and Amanda Vilhelmiina Iisakintytär Vähä-Ruutti). Armi’s grandfather Juho was born in Pirilä, Lapijoki, Eurajoki, Finland. Armi’s great-grandfather Juho was the son of Juho Reetu Juhonpoika Granroos and Serafiia Juliaanantytär. Amanda was the daughter of Iisakki Juhonpoika Vähä-Ruutti and Albertiina Juhontytär.

Armi’s paternal grandmother was Hilma Matilda Kristianintytär Hellgren (the daughter of Kristian Aleksanteri Ulriika Loviisanpoika Munter, later Hellgren, and of Mariaana Kallentytär Södergren). Hilma was born in Pori, Satakunta, Finland. Kristian’s father is unclear; it was possibly his stepfather, Samuel Hellgren. Kristian’s mother was Ulriika Loviisa Loviisantytär Argelander, later Munter. Mariaana was the daughter of Kalle/Carl Södergren and Anna Liisa Henrikintytär.

Armi’s maternal grandfather was Aapo Aaponpoika Ekholm (later Kyrö; the son of Aapo Aaponpoika Ekholm and Riitta Liisa Juhontytär Juustila). Armi’s grandfather Aapo was born in Lumijoki, Finland. Armi’s great-grandfather Aapo was the son of Aapo Juho Klausinpoika Ekholm and Riitta Liisa Reetantytär Pikkarainen. Armi’s great-grandmother Riitta was the daughter of Juho Juhonpoika Juustila and Maria Juhontytär Fuodila.

Armi’s maternal grandmother was Maria Katariina Juhontytär Oravainen (the daughter of Juho Aaronpoika Oravainen and Kaisa/Katariina Lotta Reetuntytär Gutsen). Maria was born in Pulkkila, Finland. Juho was the son of Aaro Juhonpoika Tuomaala and Anna Liisa Matintytär Niilekselä. Kaisa/Katariina was the daughter of Reetu Erikinpoika Gutsen and Kaarina/Katariina Sofia Henrikintytär Wettberg.

Sources: Genealogy of Armi Kuusela – http://www.geni.com

Genealogy of Armi’s father – http://gw.geneanet.org

Genealogy of Armi’s mother – http://gw.geneanet.org