Thursday, October 1, 2026
Reidar Gursli was born September 20, 1928, and went to be with the Lord Jesus and his wife Ingebjørg, and eldest son, Gordon Gursli, August 18, 2025, at the age 96, shy of his 97th birthday.
Reidar was born in his hometown of Odda, Norway, the second child of Tollak and Gudrun Gursli. He was blessed to grow up in the beautiful Hardanger area amongst the mountains and fjords in western Norway. Even during the German occupation of WWII, when it was a time of uncertainty and rationing, he recounted only gratitude for love of family, music, dance, and the adventures of the mountains and fjords.
At the end of the WWII in 1945, he entered trade school and then entered the Norwegian Royal Air in 1947, where he served until 1950. Upon returning home with his experiences and electrical skills, he set out to explore the world on the ship “Nordbo” as an electrical technician, only to return home in the summer of 1951.
After his experiences, it lead him to desire more, and after 8 months of working at the hometown factory he set sail with four of his childhood friends towards Canada, leaving Bergen, Norway, April 5, 1952, landing in Halifax, Canada, April 12, 1952, with a 5-day train trip towards Vancouver, B.C., where he would start a new life in the Pacific Northwest. He had only 200 kroner and a $20 dollar bill in his pocket for the journey, and the day he got his first job and a week from getting paid, he had only a dime in his pocket.
Within 2 weeks he had found steady work on hydroelectric projects in Kemano, B.C., and worked 6 months before bringing his soon-to-be wife, Ingebjørg, purchasing a home in Burnaby, B.C., before picking up roots again in 1960 to move to Seattle, where he worked as a marine electrician for Lunde Electric in Ballard, then becoming IBEW 46 union member working construction projects around Seattle, settling in Edmonds in 1961 to raise his family.
He continued to seek adventures in the mid-60’s fishing in Bristol Bay, Alaska, during the summers while investing in Seattle rental housing.
Through love of family and friends, hard work, taking one day, one step of the time, to overcoming life’s many obstacles, he provided food, roof, clothes, and many joyful travel experiences for himself and family.
He was blessed with a life well lived. Family and friends were blessed to have had him in their lives.
Surviving is Roy Gursli and wife, Debbie E Gursli; Ted Allen Gursli; grandchildren Erika N Gursli; Justin A Gursli and wife Angelic Gursli; and Kristian G Gursli. Great-grandchildren Taylor Gursli Pichler, Preston, Carolyn, Adelyn, and Celia Gursli. In-laws Gerd Schaatun, Aslaug Solbakken, Oddbjørn Lynghammar, and beloved Gursli and Lygnhammer family in Norway
Preceded in death by wife Ingebjørg, son Gordon Gursli, brother Torleif, and Karl Willy Gursli.
Celebration of life to be held Saturday, September 20, at 2 p.m. at Maple Park Lutheran Church, 17620 60th Ave, W, Lynnwood.
