William "Bill" Lainen

William Lainen, 95.5, peacefully passed in his home on Big Round Lake and joined the Lord on January 14, 2022.  He was born on July 11, 1926 to William and Ann (Oleson) Lainen. His early years were lived at the fur farm on Big Round Lake and then at the farm his parents created near Tamarack, MN. Schooling consisted of eight years at the two-room school in Tamarack and high school at McGregor, graduating in 1944. The following two years he served in World War II as a Naval Aviation Radioman on a Martin Mariner patrol bomber. He was involved in a Bermuda Triangle search for five Avengers that disappeared, never to have been found. He was always grateful to have been pulled off a flight that also went missing in the search.  Following his service, he attended UMD for his Bachelor of Science in Education (graduating in 1949) and the U of M for his Masters (graduating in 1953). His career was with the Duluth School District. Three years were spent teaching at an elementary school, followed by 32 years as an elementary school principal in several schools. His last eleven years were at Chester Park Elementary, from which he retired. He dedicated his life to education for over 35 years and was blessed with a retirement of over 37 years.  Married on June 18th, 1949, Bill claimed he was a 49-er who struck gold when he married Jo Ann Park. He was blessed with a marriage of over 72 years and had a never-ending devotion to his daughters Nancy, Karen, and Peggy, his grandchildren, and his beloved great-grandchildren.  Highlights of his life were his career, his family at United Baptist Christian Church, family time at the cabin (he waterskied on his 70th birthday), and numerous camping trips to many National Parks and Forests (both tenting and in the old trusty camper). The Boundary Waters were also a favorite destination. He then attained his life-long dream of retiring at Big Round Lake where he built a year- round home and enjoyed that with family and friends for well over another 35 years. Lake living was his heart and soul.  His Christian walk was of highest priority. A long retirement permitted continued work through Tamarack Christian Church, a published devotional book written by him and Jo, over twenty years in the Gideon Bible Ministry, over twenty years as custodian of Round Lake Cemetery, and many years of activity with Tamarack Seniors (Golden Age), and the Aitkin County Committee on Aging. One year he was named Aitkin County Volunteer of the Year.  He loved softball and played in organized Duluth leagues until retirement. Most of all, he loved his family, everything outdoors and his home on Big Round Lake. Foremost, Bill was the self-declared, universally disputed “Round Lake Champion” of cribbage.

He was Preceded in death by his parents, beloved daughter Nancy Lainen-Keussen, half-sisters Virginia Harrington and Jean Davis, and sister-in-law Marcia Hanson, brother-in-law Robert Park and Donn Park, niece Bobbi Potter (Dan), and his special grandma Emma Oleson Hawkinson, and members of the John Hawkinson family.

Bill is survived by his soulmate Jo Ann, daughters Karen Jarvi of Cloquet and Peggy Lainen Anderson of Duluth; Grandchildren Matthew Jarvi (Melisa Davis) of Carlton, Nicholas Jarvi (Vicki) of Cloquet, Kyle Anderson of Tamarack, Kara Reimherr (Tim) of St. Paul, and Sathya Bush (Nathan) of California; greatgrandchildren Kaden Anderson, Haileigh and Logan Jarvi, and Orion Bush. Additional survivors are Bill’s favorite brother-in-law Bruce Hanson (Marlys Dobis) of St. Joseph and nephew Sean Hanson (Heather) and their triplet daughters of North Carolina. Also left behind are special nieces Lynn Ramme (Peter), Mona Berg (Larry), deceased Bobbi Potter (Dan) and Debby Gudenzi, and his forever daughter, French AFS student Francoise “Fouf” Guillaume (Bernard) of Paris, France. Beyond blood relatives, Bill had a multitude of extended family and friends, both past and present. 

A Celebration of Life will be 1pm – Saturday, February 19, 2022 at the Tamarack Christian Church in Tamarack. Visitation will  be 1 hour prior to the service at the church.  A luncheon will follow at the Sno-Flyers Building in Tamarack. Bill would be pleased by memorials to the Tamarack Christian Church or to the Gideons.  Arrangements are with McGregor Funeral Home & Cremation Services in McGregor.  www.srtfuneral.com

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