Haakon S. Reinertsen, Korean War Veteran
Haakon (“Hawk”) of Ridgefield, passed away peacefully of complications from Parkinson’s Disease on October 7th. He was born in 1935, the son of Trygve and Kristine (Sundal) Reinertsen of Stavanger, Norway and later of Valley Stream, New York. Hawk and his wife Mary (Reilly) Reinertsen celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary this past September. Hawk enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1954 and was recruited into the Strategic Air Command. He served in Guam as an atomic weapons fusing specialist.
Upon graduation from State University of New York, he started his career at IBM in New York City. He worked for IBM for 46 years and retired ten years ago. It was at IBM that he met his wife Mary. He enjoyed everything to do with cars and could build or fix just about anything. He was particularly fond of his ’63 Corvette Stingray and his red dune buggy that he built from an old VW bug. He loved working with wood and hand-built an ultralight canoe.
Hawk was a great husband, dad, papa, uncle and friend. In addition to his loving wife Mary, he leaves behind his two daughters: Kerry Reinertsen Crabbé and her husband Emmanuel of Ridgefield and Heather Somers and her husband Alan of Plymouth, Minnesota. He also leaves behind four adored grandchildren: Olivia and Colin Crabbé and Kerry and Clare Somers.
In addition, Hawk leaves behind his brother Tom and his wife Susan as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins and extended family.
Hawk enjoyed his time with the Ridgefield Men’s Club where he formed many great friendships. As a 19 year transplant survivor, Hawk was incredibly grateful for this gift of life and the time it gave him with his family.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Tuesday, October 11, 2016 at 10:15 a.m. in St. Mary Church, Ridgefield with Msgr. Laurence Bronkiewicz officiating.
Burial will follow in St. Mary Cemetery, Ridgefield with military honors.
The family will receive friends in the Kane Funeral Home, 25 Catoonah St., Ridgefield on Monday, October 10, 2016 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Dr. A. Benedict Cosimi Transplant Surgery and Research Endowed Fund at Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, Massachusetts.