Albert E. Saari

SAARI
ALBERT E. SAARI, Col. USA (Ret.)

Passed away peacefully at his home in Fairfax, VA on May 30, 2007. Col. Saari was the beloved husband (62 years) of Jacqueline Suzanne Caye of Metz, France; father of Christyl Saari Perrier (Georges Perrier) of Ft. Lauderdale, FL, Lt. Col. Gerald Saari, USA (ret.) (Cristina Widmer) of Forest Hill, MD, Geraldine Saari Simonin (Pascal Simonin) of Toulon, France, Patrick Saari (Nelly Moreno) of Quito, Ecuador, Philippe Saari (Silvia Balderas) of Silver Spring, MD, Gwendolyn Saari Danvers (William Danvers) of Arlington, VA, Dr. Jacques Saari (Cindy Brumley) of Centennial, CO; and grandfather of Erik, Adrien, Alyosha, Alexander, Natasha, Jacqueline, Christian, Camille, Emily, Isabel, Connor and Dillon. He will be mourned by a sister, Dorothy Ojala of Ely, MN; a sister-in-law Marie-Jose Nemo of Mer, France; by Laetitia, Florence, Marie-Aude Nemo, Franco and Michele Malerba, all of France; and by countless nieces and nephews on both sides of the Atlantic.

Born in 1919 he was 87 years old. A West Point graduate (class of January 1943), Colonel Saari

had a distinguished military career spanning three decades. He participated in three wars, World War II, where he was part of the Normandy invasion, the Korean War, and the Viet Nam War. He held Masters degrees from the California Institute of Technology and the George Washington University. A member of the Army Corps of Engineers, he continued his career as an engineer in the private sector upon leaving the military.

The son of Finnish immigrants, Col. Saari grew up in the glorious backwoods and lake country of Ely, MN and was an outdoors enthusiast. He spoke Finnish until he went to school at age six, then English, and later fluent French as he embraced the warm French family he married into. He proudly received an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, where he excelled, and joined the long gray line as part of Company G. He met and married the love of his life, Jacqueline Caye, in France at the end of World War II. They enjoyed numerous postings in Europe and France, and raised seven children, with little material wealth, but tremendous faith, good cheer, and hard work. Col. Saari was known for his gregarious personality and generosity, his wit and talent for devising multi-lingual puns, his "sisu" in dealing with 35 years of rheumatoid arthritis, his highly competent and meticulous work ethic, and his unwavering love for his family. In healthier times, he enjoyed sauna, the ballet and opera, dancing with his wife, his circle of Army friends and wonderful neighbors, and trips to Nantucket, Minnesota and France.

Visitation will be held at Fairfax Memorial Funeral Home, 9902 Braddock Road Fairfax, VA on Sunday, June 3, 2007 from 1 to 3 and 6 to 8 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Monday, June, 4 at 2:30 p.m. at St. Ambrose Catholic Church, 3901 Woodburn Rd., Annandale, VA. Interment with Full Military Honors at Arlington National Cemetery, on Monday, September 17, 2007 at 12:45 p.m. at the Fort Myer Old Post Chapel.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Doctors without Borders, 333 7th Ave, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10001-5004, 1-212-679-6800.