Kaj Bern was born in Arvika, Sweden in 1932 and emigrated to the US in the 1950s. During the early 1960s he was a professional photographer in Washington, DC, taking pictures of everything from President Kennedy and international dignitaries to parts for military manuals and private commissions. While there he met and married Nell Regan, including her daughter, Marirose Misiak, in the family. Their son, Chris, was born in 1969 and Kaj took his oath of citizenship while holding his infant son. Having been a mechanic and all-around “car guy” beginning as a teen in Sweden, he began working for Volvo and over the years moved up in the company to become a well-respected regional sales manager. In 1975 the family moved to Cary, NC where Kaj lived until his death.
Throughout his life he continued to enjoy working on cars, especially Volvos, and made many friends through various Volvo groups. He also enjoyed camping and travelled throughout the US doing so. In his later decades he collected Lionel model trains, purchasing them at flea markets and yard sales then fixing them and reselling the ones he didn’t want to keep.
Kaj was a quiet, warm, and genial person who loved talking to friends, enjoying a good drink while being surrounded by people he considered as much a part of his family as any blood relatives. His smile, wry sense of humor, and stories of an amazing life delighted everyone who knew him. Though he had little in the way of formal education he was a smart man who delighted in learning anything new. He embraced being an American while also keeping a close tie to his Swedish heritage, including sharing Swedish customs with his children, grandchildren, and friends.
He is survived by his son, Chris, and grandchildren Lucas and Elena; also by his step-daughter, Marirose, and grandchildren Jamie and Kelsea. Many friends and extended family also mourn his passing.
