Albert Emil Wilska, a lifelong resident of Old Chatham, New York, died at the Providence Care Center in Lenox, Massachusetts on January 25, 2012, one day after his 93rd birthday. The son of Paavo (Paul) and Emma Wilska, he was a member of the first class to graduate from the present New Lebanon High School. He went on to earn an Associates Degree in Agriculture from Cornell University prior to enlisting in the Army Air Corps, where he served as a pilot and aircraft mechanic in China during World War II.After the war, he became a partner with his brother John in Paulsons Inc., a homebuilding business in West Springfield, Massachusetts. A master carpenter and proud 50-year member of Local Union 370 at the time of his death, Albert worked for many years on the Empire State Plaza and SUNY Albany construction projects.He is survived by his sister, Julia Wilska West, of Lake Worth, Florida; his brothers Elmer, Wilho, John and Henry died previously. A bachelor all his life, he also leaves four nieces (Sharon, Charlene, Judy and Leslie) and four nephews (Jon, Eric, Paul and Peter) and their families, who were an important part of his long life.A graveside memorial service will be held in May at the Rayville Friends Burial Ground, for which Albert served as a Board member for many years. Donations in his memory will be gratefully received by the Board. Albert was a man who loved the land and loved to work and at age 85 could still be seen on a tractor, mowing the fields he knew so well, on the farm where he grew up. He was always proud of his Finnish heritage and had, until the very end, an abundance of that quiet courage and strength of purpose known to Finns as sisu.