Obituary of Karin Janet Birkeland

Karin Janet Birkeland, 83, of Delhi, NY passed away peacefully at the Delhi Rehabilitation & Nursing Center Monday morning, November 26, 2018.

Born November 15, 1935 in Brooklyn, NY the daughter of Norwegian Immigrants, Gustav and Ellen (Klem) Sandin.  During her high school years, the family along with brother Kenneth Sandin moved to Delaware County, NY where she graduated in 1953 along with her 18 classmates from South Kortright Central School.  Ken remained in Bloomville, NY to become a dairy farmer while the rest of the family later moved back to New York City.

During a trip to Norway in 1955, she met her future In-Laws, Marte and Selmer Birkeland, which lead to meeting their son Arne who was then living in Seattle, WA.

Karin and Arne were married October 19, 1958 in Brooklyn, NY and then resided in Seattle, WA for the next thirty years and raised their two sons, Erik and Karl. 

Karin held a number of bank teller positions starting with the Seaman’s Bank for Saving in Manhattan, and then later assisting Arne in the opening of Sherwood Travel in Bellevue, WA in the 1970.. After many successful years in the travel business, they switched careers and moved to Ferndale, WA where Arne could have his 20 acres for a racing track to pursue his passion for training harness horses.  In a new business venture, they opened a restaurant, The Prospector Sandwich Shop and Deli, in Ferndale, WA in 1979.  This became a family affair with both Erik and Karl working the restaurant during their Jr. and Sr. High School years.

In 1991, along with Arne, she returned to Delaware County in preparation for future retirement plans, but not before opening yet another business – The Walton Flower Market in the village of Walton, NY.

After the passing of Arne in 1997, Karin continued to operate the “Flower Market” until retiring in 2002 and moving to the Delhi Senior Community Housing for the past 16 years.

While residing there she was active in many committees and enjoyed her favorite hobby, gardening. Karin labored for several years creating a beautiful garden of flowers and dry creek that lined the entire lawn on her end of the apartment complex that she and others would enjoy viewing while relaxing on her balcony.

Karin is survived by her son Karl of Delhi, NY and granddaughter, Alex Birkeland of Spanaway, WA, and her son Erik and Son-in-Law, Jeffrey Cook of Seattle, WA,  as well as five nieces and nephews: Christine Benkert, Scot Sandin, Linda Shorts, Jeffry Sandin, Laura Miller and their families.  

A memorial service was held in December of 2018.

Graveside services and burial will be held at 3PM on Saturday, May 18, 2019 at the Riverside Cemetery, Bloomville. 

As Karin was a florist…. flowers are welcomed.

Please visit www.macarthurfh.com to learn more about Karins life as well as share any condolences with the surviving family members.