Jack Jay Saarinen

Published 1:54 pm Friday, September 6, 2024

Jack Jay Saarinen

December 18, 1963 – August 31, 2024

Jack passed peacefully with his wife and son by his side on August 31st he was 61 years old. Jack and his wife Sheri married 12/29/90 in Bend, OR. Jack graduated from Mountain View High school. He started working at a local welding shop when he was 12-14 sweeping floors, cleaning, watching, and learning more of the trade. He worked at Triangle T welding for 25 years. He was 6’3 with size 13 1/2 custom made boots and big muscles. Most people couldn’t walk across the room in his boots they were so heavy. When others would pick up a 4inch grinder, he would take the 9inch just to prove it was the more efficient choice. Over that time he became known as “Mad Jack” If you really knew him and you saw his nostrils flaring you knew it was time to go! He and his wife Sheri started the welding company Advanced Northwest Welding in 2003. Jack was the Go-To guy for anything that needed welding or fixing. some of the things you would stand back and wonder “how?” He loved a challenge, he enjoyed talking with just about anyone, and never met a salesman he didn’t spend hours talking too. His side hobby for a few years was roasting whole hogs on his custom rotisserie, it gave him great joy to see everyone enjoy his cooking and the all night talking while the pig was roasting. Jack built his 1977 ford truck from the ground up and it was his pride and joy. He entered it in many car shows and would always come home with a ribbon. He also competed in tractor pulls at the Redmond fair grounds. He was also an avid demolition derby participant for years. He enjoyed hunting, camping, the beach, pickled prawns and sucking the butter out of the crawdads. He loved nascar and the number 3 car Dale Earnhardt as well as collecting die cast cars. He sometimes played nascar video games with his son Tyler, he played to win, Tyler played to wreck him into the wall thus ending multiple sessions. He was ford man through and through and they all had to have a 460. He was always looking for something with better fuel milage but at the end of the day he’d always get another 460 hoping for a different outcome. He loved going fast and never turned down the opportunity, whether he was behind the wheel or in the passenger seat with a grin from ear to ear. The gentle side of Jack showed when he became a dad to Tyler. They would play with hot wheels, racetracks, and make dirt hills for a ridable dump truck that could dump bark dust for work and play. They would spend hours on the vacations at the beach building sandcastles complete with motes, flying kites, and finding the best places to eat. He was proceeded in death by his Father Robert Saarinen, Mother Dorothy Saarinen, Grandpa Jack, Sister Cheryl Saarinen, Brother Bob Saarinen. He is survived by spouse Sheri Saarinen, Son Tyler Saarinen, Sister Karen Elliott and her husband Jock Elliott, Nephews Seth, Zach, and Jesse and their wives and children. Also survived by Randy, Maxine, Yvonne, Annette, and Yvette. Along with many more. His hobbies were putting models together, working on hot rods, trucks and monster trucks. Anything ford with a 460 but welding was his passion. Jacks grandpa Jack started the famous Wankers Corner, and the family homes home stead on Stafford road. Would like to thank everyone at the sandstone inn, partners and care/hospice, his many friends, and crew at Advanced Northwest Welding for their unwavering support. At his request there will be no service, we will have a celebration of life at a later date and when that date is decided it will be posted on caring bridge. He will be missed dearly. in lieu of flowers please send memorial contributions to J bar J youth services 62895 Hamby Road, Bend OR, 97701 or Mountain View High School welding program 2755 NE 27th, Bend OR, 97701.