Charles Sipila

Charles Henry Sipila (“Charlie”), 75, a lifelong Grays Harbor resident passed away

on Sunday, January 22, 2023 in Aberdeen Washington.

Charlie was born on February 21, 1947 to parents Ero Sipila and Edith Sipila

(Kolb) in Aberdeen, Washington.

Charlie spent his childhood growing up in South Aberdeen exploring the woods,

hiking, hunting, fishing the rivers, peeling bark, trapping, and playing basketball

with a group of lifelong friends.

In 1955 Charlie’s father, Ero Sipila (a 2nd generation commercial fisherman and

boat builder) built the troller F/V “South Side” at Pakkonen Shipyard in South

Aberdeen. From that day forward Charlie and his brother, Bill became the

childhood deck hands of the South Side. Working for their father, over many years

growing up on the boat together they learned the trade of becoming commercial

Salmon and Albacore tuna fisherman themselves.

Charlie attended JM Weatherwax High School, and graduated in 1965, where he

was a standout basketball player and leading scorer on the team.  After high

school, fishing being seasonal work, he was drawn to the woods. He got a job

setting chokers for Weyerhaeuser before attending Grays Harbor College to play

basketball.

In 1967 Charlie enlisted in the US Navy, he spent his time as a gunners mate

aboard the USS Richmond K Turner (a cruiser destroyer). Spending a majority of

his time in Vietnam, he also traveled much of the world including a short visit to

Australia, where he met Mary Stephens. After a short courtship in Australia, the

two kept in contact and Mary immigrated to the US. Charlie and Mary were

married in 1968. They bought a small home across the street from his parents in

south Aberdeen and started a family, having 2 children. A daughter, Evelyn, and a

son, Charlie jr.

Charlie’s love for the woods and the outdoors drew him to a career in forestry. In

1969 after his service, he got a job with West Tacoma Newsprint. Learning to be

an engineer surveyor laying out logging roads and surveying. Charlie worked in

the woods alongside his lifelong friends, Ivars Matisons, and Andy Ancich. West

Tacoma News Print became Boise Cascade in 1970 where the group worked

together for several years. In 1972 Charlie’s father, Ero retired from fishing and

Charlie bought the F/V South Side. Charlie’s older brother Bill had already bought

and rebuilt his own wood troller the F/V Allotar. The 2 brothers were off as adults

each with their own trollers!

For the next several years, Charlie fished the spring through fall months off the

Washington, Oregon, and California coast for salmon and tuna. The two brothers

became well known and respected in the troll fleet up and down the coast. He spent

his winter months at his forestry surveying job with Boise Cascade.

In 1977 Charlie and Mary moved their family to Cosmopolis. His most important

job of all was father and dedication to his children. When his own son was 8 years

old, he took him aboard the South Side as deck hand in the summer months and

raised him on the boat just as he had been. He even had his daughter on the boat

from time to time.

In 1982 he became a Dungeness crabber in the winter months, as well as salmon

and tuna through the summer leaving his forestry job behind to become a full time

fisherman.

Charlie and Mary amicably divorced after 27 years of marriage but remained close

friends.

He would eventually meet Janice Osina. They married in August of 1999. After

their retirement, the couple vacationed in Mexico, and this became their yearly

tradition for 17 years.

Charlie was a member of the 40 ET 8. He enjoyed traveling. He and Janice were

able to visit many beautiful places such as Mexico, Hawaii, and Australia. A

lifelong enjoyment of his was hunting. He was able to pass his love of the outdoors

on to his son and the two hiked, hunted, fished, and explored together for many

years.

Charlie was a master woodworker, he loved to do home improvement projects, and

could build or fix anything. This skill and passion was passed down from his father

to him and his brother, and then to his son, Charlie Jr.

Charlie always had a great attitude and kept his sense of humor no matter how bad

he felt. He was a great man and took great care of his family and wife.

He is preceded in death by his parents.

Charlie is survived by his wife, Janice Sipila, of Cosmopolis; his son, Charles

Sipila Jr., of Aberdeen; his daughter, Evelyn Sipila, of Cosmopolis; his brother,

William (& Wendy) Sipila, of Cosmopolis; 3 grandchildren: Brandon Walker,

Cassidy Baumann, and Hunter McCullough; and 1 great granddaughter, Bindi

Baumann.

A memorial celebration will be held on Sunday, February 5, 2023 at 1:00 PM

located at the Rotary Log Pavilion in Aberdeen, Washington.

If you wish to leave a memory or note of condolence for the family, please visit

http:www.fernhillfuneral.com. Arrangements have been entrusted to Twibell’s

Fern Hill Funeral Home in Aberdeen, Washington. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Charles Sipila, please visit our flower store.