Earl D. Vinson

Earl D. Vinson, 80, of Knappa, died Friday, December 24 in Knappa.

He was born Aug. 4, 1930, in Astoria, to Ralph J. Vinson and Ruby B. “Buddy” Stanley Vinson.

He graduated from Knappa High School and started a career with Crown-Zellerbach Co., with his father working the log booms in Knappa and Svensen.

Mr. Vinson joined the U.S. Army during the Korean War and served as a military policeman in Hawaii. Upon his discharge, he resumed working the log booms and also bought and operated a gillnet boat for a few years. In about 1962, he and his brother Verne started Vinson Brothers Construction that still operates. Vinson’s specialty was water lines and a backhoe operator. He built the majority of the Knappa and Wickiup water lines during his career. He retired in 1990 and enjoyed visiting ghost towns all over the West and visiting casinos.

He is survived by one brother and sister-in-law, Rex and Dolores Vinson of Sheridan; one sister-in-law, Joyce Vinson Smith of Astoria; four nieces and their husbands, Mildred and Bill Scharlau of Clifton, Ill., Marie Vinson Brooks and Ron Brooks of Dallas, Ore., Judy and Dave Taylor of Bend, and Janet and John Garbutt of Astoria; seven nephews, Darrell Vinson, and his wife, Jorjina, and Dennis Vinson and his wife, Kathy, all of Astoria, Jim Vinson and his wife, Judy, Kevin Vinson, Duane Vinson and his wife, Carla, all of Willamina; Scott Vinson of Mossyrock, Wash., and Phillip Vinson and his wife, Debbie, of Salem; and numerous great-nieces and great-nephews.

He was predeceased by two brothers, J. Vinson and Verne Vinson, and a nephew Douglas Vinson.

A funeral will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, Dec. 31, at Caldwell’s Luce-Layton Mortuary.

A reception will follow at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Knappa.

Private burial will be held at Knappa Prairie Cemetery.

Memorial contributions may be made to Lower Columbia Hospice in care of Caldwell’s Layton Mortuary, 1165 Franklin Ave., Astoria, OR 97103.