Reino was born in Gackle, N.D., on July 16, 1921, to William Ernest and Emma Elizabeth Karjalainen, Finnish immigrants. They came to America to carve out their own attempt at the American dream. They had nine children, eight boys and one daughter. Reino Ernest, the fourth born, loved the hard Dakota farm life, he grew up sturdy on the land, farming it, feeling with the shoeless feet of youth. Farm life taught him a good work ethic, a strong faith, and a deep love for this land of freedom.

Reino served during World War II in the 104th Army Combat Infantry (The Timberwolves) in the European Theater of war. There he earned the Bronze Star for bravery beyond the call of duty. Small in stature he carried a big weapon, the B.A.R., with it as a squad leader his team accomplished deadly work for the high price of freedom. Due to shyness he never reached a higher rank than private 1st class, yet his company captain said of Reino, “I could count on him to get the job done and lead by example.”

The unit Reino fought with liberated the Nordhausen Concentration Camp and was waiting outside of Berlin five days before the Russian Army got there. Reino taught his children Ronald Karjalainen, deceased, Constance Manrow (59) of Tigard, Ore., and Pastor Rick A.W. Karjalainen (55) of Coupeville, to work hard, have integrity, walk in truth, and when you make a commitment you finish it. He raised his children alone as a single parent from 1959 til they were grown and on their own. He worked for the Portland Transit Co. of Portland, Ore., as a bus river. He did this job for 35 years. Reino was one of six drivers nationwide at the time of his retirement to have driven over one million miles without a single accident, and his route was downtown Portland!

He remarried on April 29, 1978, to Edna Fisher. They lived together very happy in their Portland home until her death in 1999. He moved to Whidbey Island in 2002 and resided there until the Lord called him home on March 6, 2009 from his private residence in Coupeville. He is survived by a son, a daughter, four brothers, and many many grandchildren and great-grandchildren who loved him dearly. His granddaughter Anna M. Karjalainen (26) was his primary caregiver in his final months, which resulted in a caring, loving bond between them providing Grandpa Karjalainen with peace. Reino will once again sing the Psalms in Finnish with his father, he will once again sit quietly by the fire and listen to his mother’s voice, he will embrace once again his fallen friends from Europe’s battlefields, he will walk again with his sweetheart Edna, once again he will sit on heaven’s porch with his son Ron, there in peace Reino will praise His Lord Jesus Christ, and he will wait for others who will follow. May Dad rest in joy and may God grant him the hope Jesus Christ gained for us all at Calvary.

A memorial service will be held at Coupeville Community Bible Church on Saturday, March 21, at 1 p.m. Come and celebrate the life and the hope of the resurrection with the Karjalainen family. An internment service with full military honors will be held at the Willamette National Cemetery at a later date. Jesus is Lord.

Arrangements entrusted to Burley Funeral Chapel, Oak Harbor.