Mr. William Lahtinen a minister of religion aged 30 years lived in Minneapolis USA. He was returning from a visit to relatives in Kemi, Finland with his wife and Lyyli Silven whose father was Reverend Lahtinens cousin.

During the visit home, the Lahtinen's who were by now, American citizens, suffered the loss of their infant daughter Martha on 10th March 1912. Lahtinen wrote to a friend that he felt that they would soon be joining their lost child; he and his wife went down with the Titanic.

When the Titanic sank, Anna had first jumped into a lifeboat, but somehow decided not to leave the sinking liner, obviously because she wanted to stay with her husband. Miss Silven, however, got in a boat and was rescued. She later told that Anna Lahtinen had looked very nervous, while William had calmly smoked a cigar. Neither of their bodies were found.