Willard J. Hutson, Sr.

Commercial fisherman, 76Willard J. Hutson, Sr., 76, of Warrenton, died Sunday, July 20, 2003, in Astoria.

Mr. Hutson was born Nov. 6, 1926, in Hood River to Jesse and Winifred Harding Hutson. He was raised in Parkdale where he attended public schools.

He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and served during World War II and was stationed in different parts of the world including New Caladonia, Australia and Burma. After his discharge, he returned to Parkdale where he operated a restaurant and he was proud of its reputation for the “best burger and shakes around,” family members said. He later worked briefly as an orchardist, log truck driver, and raised Christmas trees until he found his true calling and became a commercial fisherman. He fished out of the Astoria-Warrenton area and off the coast of Alaska. In the 1980s, he owned and operated the SeaFarer Res-taurant in Warrenton. Mr. Hutson was a life member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

He and his wife Ramona were married in 1973 in Long Beach, Wash.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by five daughters, Sherrie Hall of Astoria, Laura Hutson of Longview, Wash., Melody Wharton of Vancouver, Wash., Ruth Nan Sparks of Astoria and Carol Naeve of Torrance, Calif.; two sons, Willard Hutson, Jr. of Baker City and Louis James Burdett of Warrenton; two stepdaughters, Shirley Daid of Texas and Irene Taylor of Washington; a brother, Virgil Hutson of Prineville; 13 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

Memorial services will be held at 3 p.m. Wednesday at the American Legion Hall in Astoria. Viewing and visitation will be at Caldwell’s Luce-Layton Mortuary Wednesday from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. A graveside service will be held at 2 p.m. Friday at the Upper Valley cemetery in Parkdale.

Memorial contributions may be made to Carol Naeve, for the benefit of Willard J. Hutson Sr. Trust, Act. 3062774603, c/o Wells Fargo Bank, Attn.: Allison Lyngstad, 1218 Commercial St., Astoria, OR 97103.