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Monday 9am - 5pm Tuesday 9am - 5pm Wednesday 9am - 5pm Thursday 9am - 5pm Friday 9am - 5pm Saturday 10am - 2pm

http://columbiafuneralservice.com/

Columbia Funeral Service, 1105 Maple Street, Longview, WA (2026)

01/09/2026

In Memory of Chris Von Schirmer

A wise man once said, "The first thing you have to know is yourself."
And Chris Von S did!

Grab a hot beverage and a sweet treat to learn about the man himself ~ his words, his photos, his memories, his accomplishments. Take your time, go onto the pages often and see the world from his perspective. Read his biography and see the places he cherished most, along with his family and pets:

Chris Von S ~ A True Renaissance Man: http://www.von-s.com/www.Von-s.com/Home.html

Chris was a true Renaissance Man as quoted by Todd Fisher. Talented musically, skilled at (almost) everything he set out to accomplish. He was born a genius, but "had no say so in the matter" he liked to quip! He absolutely LOVED the outdoors, especially Mountains with Unparalleled Views! That's probably why he chose the Great Pacific Northwest in which to live and experience all the things he loved about Washington State. In his home he built a map of WA State and framed it with rope lights.

He also loved to travel out west and for several years had a place in Wyoming with his wife. He was adventurous and a treasure seeker / hunter / explorer. You can say "Adventure" was his middle name! He was a truthful, righteous and God-fearing man. {Perhaps God wanted him to lead the angels in singing the song he wrote and arranged - "Anthem for the Righteous"

Chris was a father to 2 boys - Conrad and Caleb (now in their 20's) - whom he raised in the home that he built, and he was most proud of them. (They too went on many adventures growing up like exploring Skamania Lodge in Stevenson, WA, and the traditional camping trip in August at the Lower Lewis Falls, WA)

He was also a loving partner to Rachel whom he met in Anaheim, California, over a dozen years ago. They had many hiking adventures together and, during football season, can be seen cheering on the Seattle Seahawks. Von S wrote the rock anthem, "All In" and wanted it to be heard at every game, but especially when the Hawks go the Superbowl! A search on YouTube will reveal the 4 part, "Making of" ALL IN, which every fan knows is the Truth on game day - whether you watch at home, go to a friends, go out in public, or to the actual stadium - you are a 12.

When Chris was not working on his Estate, Chris & Rachel enjoyed going to various Washington State AVA's for wine tastings. Perfect pairings to his gourmet food he liked to prepare, such as Pasta Von S; Salad Von S; Blackened Salmon Caesar Salad, etc.

In Autumn 2025, Chris suddenly became ill, having a medical event and eventually being told via a CT scan that he had a tumor in his brain. Although every single person that Chris knows were totally shocked by this news, Chris fought and fought hard, he did. He had radiation treatment, had the "source" removed, yet this horrible cancer (known as Melanoma) continued to grow and eventually IT won the battle - January 2, 2026.

On Tuesday, January 13, 2026 - 3:00 pm - Chris will be interred at the Mt. Pleasant Cemetery (Dist. 6) - Mt. Pleasant Road - just 2 miles off Old Hwy 99

All are welcome until sundown ~ See you there!

In lieu of flowers, please consider a kind donation to help Chris' family:

Chris' Story: https://www.gofundme.com/f/please-help-von-ss-family-battle-legal-medical-crisis?attribution_id=sl%3A6a7b4a7b-1ec1-4a98-a740-1c6c52ccbfcf&lang=en_US&ts=1767906292&utm_campaign=fp_sharesheet&utm_content=amp17_te&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=copy_link&fbclid=IwY2xjawPOaIVleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETFpQmo5NWhhSldIZ213ejdrc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHvQ1QkD-fsbL7sXoEb0fW3FvSBM00rlu-6H5UxQ4qvcg4-pMGU6sP4fBwIwx_aem_FrQiy5A_4DroCGcsjyoPSw

01/08/2026

In Memory of Betty Ann Erickson

Betty Ann Erickson, age 80, passed away on December 15, 2025, at PeaceHealth St. John Medical Center in Longview, Washington, after a brief illness.

Born December 5, 1945, in Waterloo, Iowa, to the late Gilbert and Edith Paustian, Betty was a graduate of North Tama High School and attended Ellsworth Junior College. She was deeply involved in her community, serving more than 20 years on the board of the Cowlitz County Public Facilities District and actively supporting the Columbia Theatre. She also belonged to many other civic organizations over the years.

Betty currently worked at Willow Grove Marina, where she served as Harbor Master beginning in 2010.

She enjoyed gardening, women's college basketball—especially the Iowa Hawkeyes—and loved the University of Washington Huskies football team. She also cherished returning to Iowa for class reunions. She will be fondly remembered for her love of the color purple and her well-known disdain for chicken.

She is survived by her daughters, Melissa Plate and Tia Anderson; grandsons Chase Nunez-Plate and Spencer Anderson; sister Joyce Faustian; brother Ronnie Paustian; and many nieces and nephews.

A celebration of life will be held January 17,2026, from 1:00-3:00 P.M. at the Cowlitz County Events Center, 1900 7th Ave, Longview, WA.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Susan G. Women Breast Cancer Foundation (https://www.komen.org) or in care of her grandson, Chase Nunez-Plate 521 SW Forest Grove Dr, Bend, OR 97702.

Obituary written and provided by family.

01/02/2026

Happy New Year! 🎆🎊 We have calendar inserts ready!

If you are in need of 2026 inserts, please stop by or give us a call. We will deliver. We are extremely limited on the thermometer holders at this time.

12/25/2025

Merry Christmas from our family to yours! We will be out of office from December 24th until December 28th. We will be returning to regular business hours Monday, December 29th.

As always, we are still available 24/7 if you’re needing immediate assistance with a loved one.

12/19/2025

Some gorgeous florals for your Friday afternoon💙

12/14/2025

From the 1930s through the 1970s, funeral homes across America commonly provided ambulance services. By 1950, funeral homes were operating nearly half of the nation’s ambulances.

This practice developed largely because funeral homes were already equipped with vehicles large enough to transport a patient lying on a stretcher, along with staff available 24 hours a day. At the time, there were few regulations, little to no formal medical training, and minimal treatment provided during transport. The primary purpose was simply to get the patient from one place to another. While the concept may make those of us under 60 a bit uncomfortable, funeral homes were filling a critical gap by providing a service that government agencies had not yet developed. To meet the need, some funeral homes operated both an ambulance and a hearse, while others relied on “combination cars” that served both purposes.

Mike spent the first few years of his career switching between an ambulance and a hearse. He recalls that one of the years he spent at a different funeral home, they received around 900 total service calls, nearly 600 of which were ambulance calls. While some claim funeral homes stopped providing ambulance services as early as 1970, Mike explained that funeral homes continued transporting patients to hospitals and medical centers for non-emergency needs such as X-rays and bloodwork into the late 1970s. The shift toward non-emergency transportation was driven by a series of federal regulations and the creation of a formal EMT registry created in 1971. Mike shared that his favorite part of being an 18-year-old apprentice was the chance to drive the brand-new Cadillacs, sirens blaring, as fast as he wanted.

By 1980, this practice was no longer the norm. Funeral homes sold their ambulances and returned their full focus to funeral care as organized emergency medical services expanded and the role of the EMT became standardized.

12/10/2025

A tribute in bloom, honoring cherished lives with beauty and love. We are grateful for the families who allow us to help memorialize their loved ones with grace and dignity.

12/10/2025

Larry Clark Glaze
September 6, 1936 - November 25, 2025

Larry Clark Glaze was born in New Haven, Indiana on September 6th, 1936, to Donald and Helen. He was number six of nine children.

He graduated from New Haven High School in 1955 and enlisted into the United States Navy, where he was an engineman and played semi-professional softball.

While stationed in Astoria, Oregon in 1958, he would periodically hitch-hike to Alston’s Corner Assembly of God where he dated and eventually married Inez LaRena Archibald. They married October 8th, 1960, and enjoyed, what she calls “a four-year honeymoon in Hawaii” – his next orders.
Larry became a father in 1964 and had their first daughter while in Hawaii. Larry and Inez moved to San Diego in 1965 and had two other children. The Navy transferred him to many different ports, ending and retiring in Xenia, Ohio. He retired in June of 1974 and moved to the Apiary Log House, Inez’s childhood home. They stayed there while he built their forever home across the road and finally, in 1976, moved in. After moving to Rainier, they had two more children.

Larry then worked for Crown Zellerbach until they closed in 1980. Then, he went and worked for fifteen years at the Rainier Cemetery District and retired again. He also would referee and umpire football, basketball, and baseball. He then retired for the third and final time from Armstrong in St. Helens in 1998.
In 2020, Larry and Inez moved to Campus Towers in Longview, Washington on their 60th wedding anniversary.

Most recently, in October of 2025, Larry and Inez moved to Eureka, Montana to be with their son Donald and his wife Jamie.
November 25th, 2025, Larry passed away and passed on into Glory.

Preceding him in death his mother and father, Donald and Helen. Brothers and sisters: Jack, Sue, Alice, Charles, and Ray.
He is survived by his sisters: Lois, Carol, and Kay. His bride: Inez Glaze. His five children: Charlene Couch (Stan) of Gales Creek, OR; Wesley Glaze (Debi) of Grand Terrance, CA; Sandra Garza (Nick) of Elk Grove, CA; Donald Glaze (Jamie) of Eureka, MT; and Aleta Guinto (Ed) of Rainier, OR. He leaves behind his seventeen grandchildren and two great grandchildren, with one great on the way.

A viewing will be held on Saturday, December 13th from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM PST at Columbia Funeral Service in Longview, WA. A celebration of life will be held at Alston’s Corner Assembly of God on Monday, December 15th at 10:00 AM PST. Online viewing can be accessed through this link: https://www.youtube.com//streams Full military honors will follow at Willamette National Cemetery at 2:30 PM PST.

His family would like you to know his last statement to the nurses was “We’re all lost without Jesus.”

12/09/2025

Some of you may have already been lucky enough to meet our adorable office pup, but I feel that it's time for a formal introduction. Meet our favorite employee, Barry!

I (Amelia) rescued Barry off the streets of Longview on December 1st of last year. Not knowing what to do with the pup but unable to leave such a small guy on the streets, I took him to my parents’ house. Barry instantly clung to my dad, Alan. It was safe to say I was not leaving with that dog. It was a match made in heaven. After days of searching for his owners with no luck, Barry became a permanent part of our family. Since then he has been a full-time employee! Barry can often be found in the main office lounging on the couch, helping Mike make coffee, or lying at Alan's feet (wherever that may be). Barry is available to be held for comfort at need. No charge.

For the last year Barry has served an incredibly important role in our office and had *almost* perfect attendance. He has many job titles ranging from Chief Comfort Canine to Assistant Bookkeeper (See picture of him helping owner, Mike). He is an extremely valued member of our team. Yes, he is under 10 lbs. and yes, he has no teeth. However, he has permanently brightened ours and our clients’ lives. We all love Barry!

12/06/2025

Sure can't be too mad about the weather when a sunset like this makes an appearance!

12/05/2025

Janis Lucille Kempf
April 26, 1940 – November 08, 2025

Janis L. Kempf, 85, moved to Heaven on November 8th, 2025.
She passed peacefully in her home with family by her side.
She was born April 26th, 1940, in Onalaska, WA, the daughter of Nona Jackson Wilson and Bonnie (Kennedy) Wilson. She married her high school Sweetheart, Ernest L. Kempf in 1958 and celebrated 67 years together this last May.

Janis (Jan) grew up on her parent’s berry farm and knew the meaning of hard work. She found her purpose in serving others. She was a stay-at-home mom raising her children, growing a garden, canning, baking and enjoyed making healthy meals for her family. After her kids were raised, she went to work at 24 flavors and later worked at a nursing home as a breakfast cook for several years, which she loved. Jan built wood crafts and put them in different bazaars during the holidays as well as the peanut brittle she was known for.

Jan was a believer in Jesus and served in the church throughout the years. Her Family is experiencing a peace that passes all understanding knowing that they will see her again and look forward to that reunion.

She was preceded in death by her parents, three brothers and four sisters.

She leaves behind one brother Clyde Wilson of Centralia, WA, her husband Ernie (Frog), their three children, Daughter, Wendy Olin (Shawn Olin) of Vancouver, WA, Daughter, Bonnie Joslen (Randy Joslen) of Longview, WA, Son, Rory Kempf (Becky Kempf) of Midlothian, TX, 8 grandchildren, Brady Nelson, Casey Nelson, Lyndsey Arbelaez, Kaylee Williams, Kelsey Smith, Kody Joslen, Chevy Kempf and Mickayla Kempf, and 16 great grandchildren.

No memorial service will be held at this time. Jan and Ernie have requested a combined service. Ernie (Frog) says;” You have to wait until he croaks for the memorial service.”

12/03/2025

Thelma Lehto
May 14, 1928 - November 30, 2025
Thelma Lehto died at sunset surrounded by family on November 30, 2025, at the age of 97. She was born Thelma Anna Mathilda Nevala on May 14, 1928 at the farm of her grandfather Charles Nevala in Otter Tail County, Minnesota, southwest of the town of Menahga. Born the 2nd child and oldest daughter to Hinni ( Alajoki) and Leonard Nevala, Thelma grew up on her parents 160 acre farm in the middle of the Great Depression, milking cows and helping her mother with housework and childcare. When her brothers Peter and Paul were sent to fight in WWII, Thelma and her sisters Miriam, Maria, Naemi, Hinni & Edna ran the family dairy farm with their parents. After the war, electricity and bus service for students to the local high school arrived in rural Minnesota, and Thelma enrolled at the age of 19 in high school with her younger sisters Miriam & Maria, graduating 1st in her class from Sebeka High School in 1951. Thelma shared an apartment in “the cities” (Minneapolis) for a few years with “the girls”, sisters & cousins, working as an accountant at the feed company Cargill’s, until she met the love of her life, a fisherman from Oregon named Reino Lehto, at the Laestadian Summer Services in Calumet, MI, 1954.Thelma & Reino married in 1955 and set up house in Clatskanie, Oregon, raising 9 children. Thelma & Reino were very hospitable and often entertained family and guests from around the world in their home. Thelma was a talented musician, singing mezzo-soprano, and played organ for the church and in the family home. She was very well read, bilingual in Finnish & English, and could beat anybody at Scrabble until she was 90. Thelma was a wonderful cook, serving for many years as a helper and then head cook at Quincy-Mayger Elementary School in Clatskanie Oregon in the 1980s & 90s. Many children now grown remember the sights and smells of cooking at QMS, and many got their training as cooks and servers in the school. Thelma was a lifelong believer in her church, a blessing to her family & community. She was preceded in death by her husband of 68 years Reino Lehto, who died on their anniversary December 3, 2023 at the age of 102; her parents Hinni & Leonard Nevala; brothers Peter & Paul Nevala, sisters Hinni Janckila, Maria Jarvi & Naemi Huhta; grandsons Brandon C***s & Max Wiederhold. She is survived by her sisters Edna Skoog & Miriam Nevala; children, Mark (Xinran) Lehto, Mary (Surgay) Brown, Paul (Donna) Lehto, Kathleen C***s, Rebecca Lehto (Jim Miller), Frans Lehto, Christine Lehto (Randy Wiederhold), David Lehto, Nathan Lehto, Tami Leinonen, Steve C***s, Heidi Haapala; grandchildren, Kendra Brown, Nicole C***s, Maurya (Matt) Olson, Lillian (Nathan) Nerenberg, Nicholai (Victoria) Lehto, James (Mari) Miller, Paul Miller, Ryan C***s, Sara Miller, Ashley C***s, Helen (Ben Fry) Miller, Jason Lehto, Anni Wiederhold, Henry Lehto, Eli Wiederhold, Edward Lehto, Eleanor Lehto; 15 great grandchildren; 1 great great grandchild; countless nieces and nephews.Interment will be December 5 at Mayger-Downing Cemetery at 11:30 am in Clatskanie, Oregon.A memorial service is to follow on December 6 at 11:30am at the Laestadian Lutheran Church on Wohl Road, Longview, WA.

Columbia Funeral Service

01/09/2026

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01/02/2026

12/25/2025

12/19/2025

12/14/2025

12/10/2025

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Monday	9am - 5pm
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