Obituary: Bryce William Saranpaa

Published 5:00 pm Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Bryce William Saranpaa

Bryce William Saranpaa, 43, of Warrenton, died Friday, July 25th, 2014, in Astoria, just 2 days shy of his 44th birthday. He was born July 27th, 1970, in Astoria, to Larry W. Saranpaa and Lois L. Leinonen.

Mr. Saranpaa grew up in the Knappa area attending Hilda Lahti Elementary, and graduated from Knappa High School in 1988. Bryce has lived in the Astoria and Warrenton areas his whole life.

He spent his early years working on the family dairy farm, local mink ranches, as a beekeeper, at Safeway and the Astoria Plywood Mill. Mr. Saranpaa then began his fishing career working on processor ships in Alaska. He then worked on several boats between the Catalina Islands and Alaska, fishing everything from bottom fish to squid. His final few years were spent crabbing.

Bryce is best known by his friends and family as being a caring, empathetic person who would give his shirt of his back to someone in need. He would also be the first person to pull a prank on someone for a good laugh.

Bryce enjoyed spending time with his family and friends as well as working with his hands, whether it be fixing things at home or helping his friends. He loved the outdoors spending time at the beach, having barbecues and partying it up with friends.

Bryce is survived by his mother Lois Kinsley; father and stepmother Larry and Sharon Saranpaa; sister Nikki Saranpaa-Fowler and her fiancé Richard Proctor; long-term girlfriend and fiancée Tammi Spendlove; children Cody and Lacey Saranpaa; sister Tamara Saranpaa; stepbrother and spouse J.D. and Becky Moreland, stepbrother and spouse Kent and Shandi Moreland; stepsisters Carla Kinsley and Cindy Blanc; and stepbrother Mike Kinsley. Bryce also has twenty-three nieces and nephews who live in Oregon and California.

Bryce was preceded in death by brothers Kirk and Brett Saranpaa; stepsister Christie Kinsley; and aunt Ramona Buckhalter.

The service will be Saturday, August 2nd, 2014, at Caldwells Luce-Layton Mortuary, 1165 Franklin Avenue in Astoria, at 12:00 p.m. A celebration of life will follow the service in the Columbia Memorial Hospital Coho Room at the Seafood Lab.