Charles Henry Sipila “Charlie,” 75, a lifelong Grays Harbor resident passed away on Sunday, Jan. 22, 2023, in Aberdeen Washington.

Charlie was born on Feb. 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 U.S. Navy and he spent his time as a gunner’s 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 two 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 Aallotar. The two 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 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; three grandchildren: Brandon Walker, Cassidy Baumann and Hunter McCullough; and one great-granddaughter, Bindi Baumann.

A memorial celebration will be held on Sunday, Feb. 5, 2023, at 1 p.m. 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 www.fernhillfuneral.com. Arrangements have been entrusted to Twibell’s Fern Hill Funeral Home in Aberdeen, Washington.