While my Oregon roots on my maternal side of the family goes back to the mid 1800’s, my Dad’s family story is of more recent immigrants. My paternal grandparents emigrated from Finland. Like the story of most immigrants, it is a story of sacrifice and hard work.

An Aunt in Michigan paid for my Grandmother’s passage from the old country to the new promised land. Grandma repaid her Aunt by working in her boarding house. The next place we find my grandparents is in the mining town of Roslyn, British Columbia.  All but the youngest two of their children were born in Canada. They settled in Canada because immigration into the United States was easier from Canada, than from Finland.

After a number of years in Canada, they settled in the largely Finnish town of Winlock, Washington. Their two youngest children were born in Winlock, delivered by a midwife. My Dad was the youngest child. Since both grandparents passed before I was born, I never had the privilege of getting to know them. One day, I asked my Dad why his parents would leave their homeland. His answer was simple yet profound, “They were hungry”.

I cherish the stories of my clients who have sacrificed much with the hope of a better life in another country. In my real estate career, I have had the honor of working with clients from a wide variety of origins. Their courage is inspiring.