Funeral homes often submit obituaries as a service to the families they are assisting. However, we will be happy to accept obituaries from family members pending proper verification of the death.
Vincent A. Jussila, age 92, a resident of Wishram Heights, died Saturday, April 7, 2018. He was born on Oct. 10, 1925, in the Dalles, Ore., to William and Esther (Yeackel) Jussila of Centerville, Wash. Vince was raised by his grandparents, Fred and Iva Yeakel, on their farm three miles south of Centerville. He attended school at Centerville until the 11th grade when the high school was transferred to Goldendale. In 1942, Fred and Iva leased the ranch and moved to Centerville.
In Vince’s senior year, he asked the draft board if they were going to draft him when he turned 18. They said most likely yes, so Vince quit school. He was drafted in Jan. 1944. He went to Navy boot camp at Farragut, Idaho. He finished up in the rear seat of a Navy dive bomber as a radio, radar and twin 30 caliber machine gun operator. He served from Jan. 1944 to May 1946, ending up on the super carrier Midway.
After discharge, he ran a two-man gas saw felling trees. He worked several other jobs, then went to work for Klickitat Pine Box Mill in Goldendale. He started working for the SP&S Railroad as a brakeman in July 1955. He retired from Burlington Northern Railroad in 1987.
Vince’s hobbies were fishing, hunting and rock collecting. After retirement, he cut firewood for a pastime. In 1975 he had Adair Homes build him a house in Wishram Heights. He always had a black lab dog. He was a member of the White Salmon Elks Club.
Vince is survived by a son, Alan, and wife Pam; grandsons, Matthew and Tyler; great-grandson Bryson of Goldendale; daughter, Amy and husband Mike Warren; great-grandson Victor of Spokane, Wash.; sister, Shirley Winofsky of Portland, Ore.; sister-in-law, Donna Farrell of Scappoose, Ore.; brother-in-law, Al Pugh of Scappoose; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by a sister, Charlene Pugh of Scappoose; brother, Robert Farrell and wife Nellie Atkins Farrell of The Dalles; and brother Buster Farrell of Scappoose.
At Vince’s request, there will only be graveside services at the Centerville Cemetery on Saturday, April 21, at 1 p.m. Memorials can be given to The Elk’s Kids Therapy Program, Lodge 1868 PO Box 110760 Tacoma, Wash. 98411 or Home At Last Animal Shelter, The Dalles.
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