On Wednesday, December 16th our community lost a great athlete, mentor, coach and more importantly, a family lost their father, their hero.
Bill Karinen was a great athlete and a tremendous supporter of cycling and cross country skiing in our community. He was a mentor and coach for kids in the Ski Tiger Program as well as the Kids Mountain Biking Team. He was also a beloved member of the Cross Country Sports staff.
In 2007 Bill began working full-time at Cross Country Sports and became our lead mechanic and right hand man at the Calumet Shop. He brought with him a great passion for the sport, integrity, commitment and a love of the business. His quick wit and humor made the shop a fun place to work. In addition to being an excellent bike mechanic and ski tech, Bill was an accomplished carpenter. He was also skilled in auto mechanics. But above all else, he was an exceptional husband and father whose love for his wife Lisa and their six children Nina, Pete, Oskar, Heidi, Ethel & Sami was so very evident every single day of his life. His family was simply his pride and joy, and his dedication and commitment to them was the center of his daily activities.
Bill’s great spririt, his love of family and passion for cycling and skiing will always live on in our hearts. May he inspire us to keep the passion burning, go the extra mile, and focus on the most precious things in life, which are family and friends.
We miss you Bill. Your family is in our thoughts and prayers.
