David Ernest Haataja

David E Haataja
On July 23, 1944, a memorable (to his parents) event took place. David Ernest Haataja was born in Wadena, Minnesota to Ernest Haataja and Doreen Kimball. He grew up in that area of many Finns and graduated from high school in Frazee, Minnesota.
In double-digit below freezing temperatures, he married the love of his life, of course, Karen Clausen in Fergus Falls, Minnesota on January 2, 1965. They later became the proud parents of Scott Haataja and Tracy Haataja Lubick.
He graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1967 and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in U.S Army.
A few month later the family moved to Fuerth, Germany where David served with the 504th S&T batallion. Besides his service there the family spent hours of memorable time with German civilians who became some of their best friends. They also met Karen's relatives who lived in northern Germany.
In 1970 the family moved back to Minnesota and David, then a Captain, was posted to Long Binh, Vietnam. He assisted the comptroller in running the port of Saigon. After his discharge from the Army he began working for Conoco. In 1975 he was transferred to Colorado where he worked as the Director of Transportation for the western division.
After leaving Conoco he worked as a Financial Analysist for the city of Longmont, Colorado for 19 years. Along the way he acquired an MBA from the University of Colorado, Denver.
An important part of his life was the church and his faith. He served in many areas from evangelism to council president.
Beside his family, he loved the outdoors in the form of tent camping and lake fishing. He introduced his family to camping on a snowy Easter weekend in the mountains of Austria. (Amazingly they still camp). For 35 years they camped on their mountain property, the LaRue above Pitkin, Colorado. Also high on his list of loves was the annual birding trip that he and Karen took to Bosque Del Apache in New Mexico. No exactly an Avid birder, he loved the experience and ample napping opportunities it provided.
He was a wonderful, quiet, unassuming man. He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Karen, son Scott and wife Annie of San Dimas, California, daughter Tracy and husband Sean of Victoria, British Columbia, two grandsons, Chei and Jay Binh, granddaughter Chelsea, three brothers and three sisters, all of Minnesota, numerous nephews and nieces and many, many, many cousins.
He left too soon and will be greatly missed.