A2 • Friday, May 6, 2022 | Seaside Signal | SeasideSignal.com
OBITUARIES
Weston MacLeod Johnson II
Raili Helena Vedenoja
Neah-Kah-Nie
Sept. 15, 1940 — March 23, 2022
Astoria
Oct. 22, 1933 — May 3, 2022
Weston (Tony) MacLeod
Johnson II was a good man, a
kind, generous and thoughtful
man, who cared deeply for his
family and friends, his country
and his community. He left us
on March 23, 2022, at the age
of 81.
Weston MacLeod Johnson
II, known since childhood as
Tony, was born in San Fran-
cisco on Sept. 15, 1940, to
Weston MacLeod Johnson
and Doris Corum Johnson.
His father was a civil engi-
neer in the U.S. Navy and his
mother was a homemaker.
His early life followed the
course of his father’s post-
ings across the country, and he
attended schools in San Fran-
cisco, Lake Oswego, Seattle,
San Diego, Honolulu (Puna-
hou) and Charleston, South
Carolina. He graduated from
high school in Long Beach,
California, and then from the
University of Oregon in 1963.
Certainly it was his father’s
infl uence that steered Tony
into his own 30-year history
with the Navy, fi rst through
two tours aboard the USS
Rowan (DD-782) in Vietnam,
and then through 26 years of
reserve service, with two com-
mand tours, including one
aboard the USS Rogers (DD-
876), based in Portland. He
retired as a captain in 1994.
He carried the discipline and
the commitment of those days
throughout his life.
Tony knew that there was a
right way to treat people, and it
centered on kindness, respect,
generosity and in always try-
ing to do the right thing. Defi -
nitely it was that belief, as well
as his paternal grandparents’
missionary hearts, that led him
into volunteer work through-
out his professional life.
During his 33-year career
with U.S. Bank, he found his
service during the day as a
lender and advisor to small
businesses. Outside the offi ce,
he focused on his family and
his volunteer work. Especially
close to his heart was Outside
In, an organization in Portland
that helps homeless youth fi nd
a path toward health and inde-
pendence. He served for more
than 20 years as a mentor and
board member.
Tony kept a steady bearing
on what was right, and what
was wrong. He did the right
thing in 1988, when he helped
an off -duty police offi cer to
detain an assailant on a Port-
land light rail train.
He did the right thing in
1961, when he drove straight
to the Eugene police station in
a truck that he had “borrowed”
from a remote logging road
when he was the subject of a
University of Oregon frater-
nity prank.
And, he did the right thing
for many summers when he
signed summer camp medi-
cal forms as “Dr. Johnson” for
more than a few forgetful par-
ents (and upset children).
He defi nitely did the right
thing in 1963, when he pro-
posed to Sarah E. Avery, the
woman he had fallen for at the
University of Oregon. They
were married a year later in
San Diego, and began their
57-year journey together.
Tony and Sarah raised their
two sons, Chris and Michael,
in Lake Oswego, and then later
relocated to southwest Port-
land for another two decades.
During these years, they ren-
ovated the family home at
Neah-Kah-Nie Beach, which
became their year-round home
in 2016.
They loved the winter
storms, the long summers
and the friendships that fl our-
ish among those who share a
commitment to and a respect
for life in a rural community.
Tony involved himself in the
nearby village of Manzanita,
where he appropriately found
a niche with the North Tilla-
mook County Library Friends
organization.
He served as treasurer of
the board more than once,
spare hand for the annual book
sale, advisor on fl ag proto-
col and all-around helper and
listener.
Tony cherished the peo-
ple and landscape of the North
Coast, and especially his home
at Neah-Kah-Nie Beach. He
loved fi lling it with the work
of Northwest artists, good
food and warm conversa-
tion. There was nothing better
than sitting at the table during
a long meal with family and
friends, watching the sun near
the horizon.
He is survived by his wife
Sarah; sons, Chris, of Med-
ford, and Michael, of Port-
land; and his beloved Scottish
terrier, “Willy.”
The family suggests that
his friends remember him with
a few glasses of wine, and per-
haps a donation to the North
Coast Land Conservancy or
the Lower Nehalem Commu-
nity Trust; two organizations
dedicated to preserving the
region that he loved so much.
A service is planned for
May 21 at 1 p.m. at St. Cath-
erine Episcopal Church in
Nehalem.
Raili Helena Vedenoja
(née Rahkola) was born
on Oct. 22, 1933, in Kala-
joki, Finland, and slept away
peacefully to her eternal
reward on May 3, 2022, at
her home in Astoria.
Raili grew up on a farm in
rural Finland, learning from
a young age the importance
of hard work and family. She
spent her early years in the
company of a large extended
family, forging relationships
that would endure across
continents and decades as
cousins and extended rela-
tives immigrated to the U.S.
and Canada.
Raili met the love of her
life, Reino, in Kalajoki, and
they were married on Aug.
29, 1954. They planned to
spend the rest of their lives
together, with Reino passing
less than a week before their
64th wedding anniversary.
Together, Reino and Raili
were the parents of seven
children, and while Reino
built a small business, Raili
focused on creating a home
for their growing family.
In 1970, Raili and Reino
visited her brother, Antti
Rahkola, in Astoria, falling in
love with the Oregon Coast
and determined to bring their
family to fi nd new oppor-
the end to be reunited with
her beloved husband and
daughter, and a crowd of wit-
nesses to salvation through
Jesus Christ.
Raili was preceded in
passing by her husband,
Reino; daughter, Maija; son-
in-law, Jeff Shepard; and
grandson, AJ.
She is survived by her
children, Marju (Vaughn)
Jaakola, Lasse (Melissa)
Vedenoja, Arja Shepard,
Eeva (Paul) Voeller and Sari
(Dean) Hartman of Asto-
ria, and Eija (Risto) Liias
of Everett, Washington;
grandchildren, Petri (Kera),
Sanna (Jason), Kai (Nicki),
Kimmo (Jennifer), Kirsti,
Marko (Michael), Katri
(Mike), Jason, Lisa (Neil),
Timo (Hayden), Mika,
Markus and Maija (Wyatt);
great-grandchildren, Mikko,
Raija, Trask, Marissa, Taylor,
Gavin, Vivianna, Leo, Ciara,
Josh, Grayden, Emelia,
Landin, Brayden and Walker;
and many other loved ones
from Oregon to Finland.
The family wishes to
thank Dr. Angela Nairn, Dr.
Paul Voeller, Lower Colum-
bia Hospice and cousins
Anne, Kaisu and Marjo for
the care you provided to Raili
in her fi nal days.
There is a graveside
memorial on Friday at 1 p.m.
at Ocean View Cemetery,
followed by a celebration
of Raili’s life at her home
on Erie Avenue; friends and
loved ones are warmly wel-
come to join this celebration.
In lieu of fl owers, the fam-
ily requests that you support
the Astoria Rescue Mission,
or a charity of your choice, in
Raili’s loving memory
‘“Love is patient and kind.
Love is not jealous, it does
not brag, and it is not proud.
Love is not rude, is not self-
ish, and does not get upset
with others. Love does not
count up wrongs that have
been done.
‘“Love takes no pleasure
in evil but rejoices over the
truth. Love patiently accepts
all things. It always trusts,
always hopes, and always
endures. Love never ends.’“
1 Corinthians 13:4-8
PUBLIC SAFETY LOG
RESPONDER REPORTS
PUBLIC SAFETY LOGS
“weird guy who came up and
talked to her.”
8:36 p.m., 2100 block Thomp-
son Falls Drive: Fire investiga-
tion.
April 23
April 24
1:21 a.m., Tillamook Head
Trail: Another agency is
assisted.
11:49 a.m., 800 block 16th
Avenue: Fire investigation.
11:00 a.m., 300 block
Fourth Avenue: EMS call.
2:13 p.m., 1900 block
Spruce Drive: EMS call.
2:58 p.m., Chapman Point:
Water rescue.
4:25: p.m., 1900 block
Spruce Drive: Caller reports
DEATH NOTICES
Keven Marshall
May 1, 2022
MARSHALL, Keven,
71, of Seaside, died in
Seaside.
Hughes-Ran-
som Mortuary of Sea-
side is in charge of the
arrangements.
Harold Roy
Beatty
April 28, 2022
BEATTY, Harold Roy,
80, of Warrenton, died
in Warrenton. Ocean
View Funeral & Cre-
mation Service of Asto-
ria is in charge of the
arrangements.
As we celebrate
Nurses Week and
Health Care Week,
Providence offers our deepest
gratitude to all our nurses and
caregivers. Every day, you make
a difference for your patients and
community with your dedication
to excellent, compassionate care.
THANK YOU.
tunities. They immigrated
with their entire family a year
later, forging a tight-knit con-
nection with the Rahkola
family.
Raili was a woman of
quiet strength and grace
during times of adversity.
After immigrating, she took
on new work in a cannery,
then as a caregiver. And, she
was the bedrock of the fam-
ily when tragedy struck and
daughter Maija was tragi-
cally killed in a car crash at
age 19.
In the aftermath of such
heartbreak, Raili found a per-
sonal relationship with Jesus
Christ. Her faith and her fam-
ily were her guiding lights for
the rest of her life. Together
with her husband, she hosted
home worship services for
the Finnish Free Evangelical
Church, sharing her home,
her warmth and her amazing
food with all who wished to
join.
After the passing of her
beloved husband in 2018,
Raili found contentment with
her family, including spe-
cial visits to Kauai, to see
her granddaughter’s organic
farm, and to Canada, to see
friends and relatives.
A woman of unshakeable
faith, she was comforted in
1:29 p.m., 12th and Necanicum:
A disturbance is reported.
1:48 p.m., First and Colum-
bia: Police receive a call for a
welfare check on multiple dogs
reported locked inside a car. On
arrival, police saw the window
was cracked, the interior was
cool, and it was 54 degrees out-
side. It was noted the dogs were
all wearing matching shirts.
6:17 p.m., Ecola Park Road/Indi-
an Beach: Water rescue.
April 25
1:11 a.m., Broadway by Ace
Hardware: A person is arrested
on a warrant.
1:07 p.m., 200 block N. Down-
ing: Caller reports new family
dog attacked old family dog.