Ka Luomala died on January 24 after a week in the hospital following a head injury that resulted from a fall. He was born April 11, 1939, in Cloquet, Minnesota. Being raised on a dairy farm taught him to work, fix things, and appreciate wildlife and the great outdoors. After graduating from Cloquet High School, Ka went on to the University of Minnesota – Duluth where he completed a three-year program in Medical Technology. He married Nancy Puumala, and they had two daughters. Ka worked as a medical technologist in hospitals in Cloquet; Duluth; Phoenix (while Nancy completed her MFA studies); Sioux City, Iowa; St. Paul, MN; and Mankato, MN.

As a child, Ka discovered that he had an aptitude for reading, writing, and learning on his own, interests that followed him his whole life. His writing interests led him to become a free-lance technical writer in Minnesota and California. He loved music, poetry, history, and the English language.

Ka married Carol Olson in 1985 and, in 1986, took a position as Documentation Supervisor at Genetic Systems in Seattle, where he grew the number of FDA-required controlled documents from about 50 to more than 10,000 when he left the company in 1998. Ka and Carol had moved to Vashon in 1990 and lived on Cemetery Road until 2002, when the Millennium Arc, their dream home at the end of Maury, was completed. Ka had retired by the time the house was started, and he worked every day with every crew in its construction, a true labor of love.

Volunteer work occupied Ka after the house was completed, and he worked on projects with the Vashon Rotary, Point Robinson Keepers, and home building at Roseballen. He was active in the Piner Point Community Association and served as its president for several years.

Ka is survived by his wife, Carol Olson, two daughters – Katya L. Whiterabbit and Jael Luomala (Mike Lamp), and four grandchildren: Herman Hafiz Whiterabbit and Jackson, Chandra, and Anika Lamp. Also surviving him are his Minnesota family, sister Theresa McLain, brother Adolf Luomala (Linda), cousin John Luomala, and many nieces and nephews.

Memorial gifts in Ka’s name may be made to the American Civil Liberties Foundation, Vashon Rotary Foundation, or KING FM Radio.

You are welcome to a gathering of family and friends on Sunday, February 12,

at 2 p.m. at Point Robinson Keepers’ Quarters A.

Please visit our online guest book at www.islandfuneral.com.