William was born in Manning, Iowa, served with the Army in World War I, and moved to Salem in 1924.

Before moving to Forest Grove in 1986, he had lived in Salem, Albany, Toledo, Valsetz, and Roseburg. He was employed in the sawmill and paper industry most of his life, then worked at Belcrest Memorial Park in Salem. He was a member of the United Methodist Church and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 661.
Survivors include his sons, Mel of Cornelius, Oregon; Lee of Sumner, Washington; and Bill of Eugene, Oregon.

William Harvey Karsten was born in Manning Iowa June 15, 1894. He was raised in Manning and attended school there. At the age of 14 his father died of pneumonia leaving William the oldest of eight children. The family moved to Virgil South Dakota and stayed with Bill's Grandfather Claus Opperman for a few years. After his fathers death he started working out as a farmhand. The money he earned went to his mother to support the family. His earnings continued going to his mother until he was 22 years old, at this time he was able to call his earnings his own. World War I came Bill entered the army. After being drafted he went to Camp Dodge and joined Machine Gun Company, 349 Infantry of the 88th Division. The 88th Division sailed to France. While in France he got the flu and if it not have been for a French farmer he may have died. The farmer took Bill into his barn and nursed him back to health.

While in France Bill became a distance runner competing in many races. He competed for the championship of the 88th Division. In this race he was defeated by a runner he had previously defeated. This time the other racer followed him for almost the entire race, but then sprinted past bill winning the race. The winner of this race was to go to Paris to race for the Army championship there. He never saw combat as his unit was scheduled to go to the front line November 11 the day the war ended, but the order was canceled. After the war ended he was sent to New York and served M.P. duty there before his discharge.

In 1924 Bill, along with his brother Lou, left Iowa and drove to Salem, Oregon. They followed their Mother who moved with some of the family to Oregon a few years sooner. Here Bill found work at Spaldings Lumber Company pulling lumber on a green chain.

Bill attended a dance at the Melomoon Dance Hall on the Willamette River. (Many years later this dance hall was swept away by a flood.) At This dance he met Elsie King, a girl from Shaw, Oregon. He and Elsie fell in love and were married April, 27 1927. The wedding was held at Elsie's parents home in Shaw, Oregon. Rev. Stover of the Night Memorial Church of Salem conducted the service.

Bill and Elsie were blessed with four children Beverly Arlene, Melvin Ray, LeRoy Harvey and William King. With the stock market crash came the great depression. The family felt the effects of the depression along with millions of other Americans. Bill changed jobs several times. The moved to Valsets, Oregon and Bill worked in a sawmill there. When this job failed they moved to Toledo, Oregon where he worked at the Johnson Sawmill. Later they moved back to Salem and Bill found a job at Oregon Pulp and Paper Mill. He worked on the barker in the wood room. He worked here until shortly after World War II when following doctors orders he left the paper mill and went to work at Bellcrest Cemetery. Bill worked here until he was forced to have an operation on his legs for varicose veins. After this he was able to go work in sawmills until his retirement in 1956.

Bill was a strict father, his German upbringing caused him to mean what he said when it came to discipline. He was a kind and loving father and his children knew he cared about them. These were tough financial times but he did the best he could for his family. He served as committee chairman and scoutmaster when his boys were in the Boy Scouts.

His first wife Elsie had rheumatic fever as a child which left her with a bad heart. This condition caused her to be in and out of the hospital many times. In spite of this condition she brought four children into the world. She led a active life and at one time served as Girl Scout leader. The bad heart took her life October 6, 1946. The loss of his wife left Bill alone to raise his family and wasn't easy for him, but he struggled to raise his family and did a good job of it.

After eight years of being lonely he met Esther Ulvin at a dance at crystal Gardens Ballroom in Salem. They were married April 30, 1954. Bill had good luck at picking his spouses. His children loved there mother but also thought the world of there step-mother.

Bill and Esther lived in Salem, Albany, and Roseburg, Oregon. Bill developed congestive heart failure and later had a bout with the flue and in the fall of 1985 the V.A. sent him to a nursing home for six months to recover from the illness. His wife was also recovering from the flue and had a bad heart and was unable to take care of him. At the end of six months he moved into a retirement home with Esther. In less than a week he came down with pneumonia and was back in the hospital. When he was to be released from the hospital the doctors said he would not be able to return home as Esther's heart was in such bad condition that she would not be able to take care of him. His son Melvin was requested to find a nursing home near him for Bill. On March 18, 1986 Bill moved to Forest Hills Nursing Home in Forest Grove. Oregon. On March 24, 1986 Esther died in Roseburg. One year later on March 20, 1987 Bill laid down for an afternoon nap and never woke up. Bill and Esther's ashes are laid to rest in Roseburg, Oregon.