Keith E. Hillsbery

Grays River resident Keith E. Hillsbery, 70, died in Portland, Ore. on April 11, 2010. Born in Astoria, Ore. on December 2, 1939 he was the son of Edward and Delores (Lawson) Hillsbery.

Keith grew up on the banks of the Columbia River at Altoona where early on his father taught him essential fishing skills and even as a youngster he pursued his family heritage on the water. He graduated from Naselle High School and during the ensuing years fished commercially on the Columbia River, Willapa Bay and in Alaska with his vessels “Lady” and later “Altoona Kid.”

Keith enjoyed hunting of all kinds, sport fishing, was famous for his smoked fish, tied and mended nets for fellow fishermen and he was very proud of his gardening and landscaping skills at his residence. He was a proud member of the Chinook tribal nation.

Survivors include his wife Kathy of Grays River; sons Keith and Kevin Hillsbery and Richard VanStane; daughter Heather Bilyeu; brother Ed Hillsbery; six grand and eight great-grandchildren with “one on the way.”

Graveside service will be Friday, April 16, 2010, 11 a.m. at Grays River Grange Cemetery. Memorials to American Diabetes Assoc. in care of Penttila’s Chapel by The Sea, PO Box 417, Long Beach, WA 98641. His guestbook is available at http://www.penttilaschapel.com.