Aino Reisenberg

Aino Reisenberg (August 18, 1915 - December 5, 2015) passed away last month at the age of 100 at her home in Beaverton. Aino was born on the north coast of Estonia and spent her childhood there. As the oldest daughter in a family of five children, her earliest memories included her father returning as a soldier from WWI. As a young woman, she attended culinary and business schools in Estonia. She survived many hardships in her life, including the loss of her first husband. One of hundreds of thousands of Baltic citizens fleeing their homelands before the arrival of Soviet troops in 1945, Aino spent many years in displaced persons (DP) camps in Germany, before being allowed to immigrate to the US in 1956 along with her two young daughters. She met second husband Elmar Reisenberg in the DP camps, but due to his poor health, he remained in Germany. Aino was ever determined to make a positive life for her children, and valued education and faith in God. She enjoyed her life greatly in southern California, over the years becoming the manager of a Swedish smorgasbord, and always insuring that she and her daughters remained involved in the LA Estonian-American community. She was proud to eventually buy her first car, then her first home, and make several trips to Israel. The birth of her daughter's fourth child in Portland in 1985 prompted her to move to Oregon, where she was a wonderful grandmother and a light to her family. For many years she attended Southwest Bible Church in Beaverton, where she made many friends. She made several trips to visit family in a free Estonia, the last at the age of 92. At age 96, she moved to Hearthstone at Murrayhill, where there were still new friendships. Words cannot adequately describe her strength, grace and sweetness. She was full of gratitude for the blessings in her life. Aino was preceded in death by her husband Elmar, son Mati Neemelaid, and daughter Anne-Ly Schreiner. She leaves behind many friends, and is survived by her daughter Mai-Liis Bartling (Don), son-in-law Steven Schreiner (Anne-Ly), and grandchildren Aili Schreiner (Kyle Brown), Laine Lum (Danny), Ian Schreiner, Niku Schreiner (Sophie Mootz), Linnea Bartling, Logan Bartling, and Liam Bartling, and great-grandchildren Kelan and Oliver Lum. A celebration of Aino's life will be held at Hearthstone at Murrayhill in Beaverton on January 9 at 2 PM.