New Wilmington, PA - William D. (Bill) Kalajainen Jr. was welcomed in Heaven by his Lord and Savior on July 16, 2026, after a sudden illness.

Bill was born July 26, 1958, to William D. Kalajainen Sr. and Rosalie J. (McFarland) Kalajainen.

He married his wife, Mary Jane, who survives, on June 4, 1983.

Bill is also survived by his brother, Dennis (Anita) Kalajainen; sisters-in-law, Leslie (Denny) Ratvasky and Sandra (Greg) Workman; brother-in-law, Gary (Betsy) Wolford; eight nieces and nephews; and 13 great-nieces and great-nephews.

He was preceded in passing by his parents; his wife's parents; and a great-nephew, Callum Workman.

Bill graduated from Lawrence County Vo-Tech in 1976, and from Youngstown State University in 1980 with a civil engineering degree.

He started a nearly 20-year career in civil/structural engineering that same year with various companies located in the Akron and Cleveland area, as well as Erie, Pennsylvania.

In 2002, Bill was able to follow his heart's desire and started work on a master of divinity degree, while living in northern Virginia. He obtained his degree from Reformed Theological Seminary after relocating to Charlotte, North Carolina, for a few years.

In 2007, Bill became an associate pastor at a church in the Philadelphia area. He served there for 10 years before retiring in 2017 from his pastoral ministry.

Bill and his wife eventually relocated to New Wilmington, Pennsylvania, in 2020, to be near family and friends.

He loved to travel and was an avid reader on a very wide range of topics, especially the Bible. Bill loved many different types of music and spent many an hour watching TCM movies (over and over). He loved talking to people, especially about Jesus, and telling stories. Bill took good care of family. However, and best of all, he loved to entertain and spoil his eight nieces and nephews as well as their children.

Guests will be received to visit the family from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8, 2026, at the R. Cunningham Funeral Home & Crematory, Inc. in New Castle, Pennsylvania. A Celebration of Life service will immediately follow at 4 p.m. at the funeral home. Pastor Brenton Beck of Steel Valley Church will officiate. Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery.

Those wishing to make a memorial donation may do so to Steel Valley Church, 801 Wick Ave., Youngstown, OH.

Online condolences can be left and viewed by visiting www.cuninghamfh.com.