With great sadness we announce the death of my beloved father, our brother and uncle Reimer O. Carstens on May 19, 2026 in Washington D.C. His death came only a few weeks after a tragic fire on Good Friday, April 3, 2026 took the life of his beloved daughter Karen and destroyed his home.Reimer was born on October 22, 1936 in Kiel, Germany and spent his childhood and youth in Lübeck. Reimer's father had not returned from World War Two and life was extremely difficult for him and his family during and after the war years.Reimer studied economics at the University of Kiel. His doctoral thesis was widely acclaimed in Germany and led to his first full-time job at the European Common Market in Brussels, the precursor of the European Union. In the early 1960s, Reimer joined the International Monetary Fund where he worked until retirement.Reimer was married for more than 50 years to Sarah Jean Carstens who passed away in 2020. They had two children: daughter Karen and son Karl.A memorial service is scheduled for Saturday, June 6, 2026 at 10:00 am at Emmanuel Lutheran Church, 7730 Bradley Boulevard, Bethesda, MD 20817.

Published by The Washington Post on May 30, 2026.