Signa Leah Kilponen

Signa Leah Kilponen, 97, a life long resident of Deep River and Salmon Creek, died in Astoria on May 23, 2015. The daughter of Finnish Immigrants Anton and Sofia Hanninen, she was born in Astoria on January 5, 1918. In 1920 the family moved to Deep River, Washington, settling in a 9 room house "a mile up the Deep River Logging Railroad from Appelo's (store)". Signa walked the mile to the 4 room Deep River School. Signa had many memories of her youth in Deep River, the Finnish neighbors and the events in town including going to the movies "for 35 cents". Signa helped her mother can vegetables from the garden, do the washing by hand and read at night by kerosene lantern. Signa met Eugene Kilponen "by the railroad track in Deep River" and they were married in Ilwaco in 1938. The couple settled in Salmon Creek where Signa was a homemaker, wife and mother to three children. She also worked for a time at the Deep River Hotel. Signa took pride in her Finnish heritage and was known as an excellent cook and baker, especially her cookies and pies. She enjoyed knitting and crocheting, vegetable gardening, clamming, and family dinners where her pickled fish and prune tarts were savored. She also enjoyed attending the annual Naselle Fire Department crab feed. Signa seldom ventured far from home; didn't have a driver's license and never carried personal identification. She worked hard her entire life and took pride in her family. Signa is survived by her daughter Lois (Bill) Bighill of Naselle; son Cliff (Debi Faber) Kilponen of Naselle; sister Sylvia Mowrey of Astoria; four grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; a nephew and two nieces. She was preceded in death by her husband Eugene and son Jerry. Graveside service will be held at 12 Noon on Thursday, May 28, 2015 at Salmon Creek Cemetery, rural Naselle. A reception follows at the Naselle Lutheran Church. Her casket will be open Wednesday, 10 AM until 4 PM at Penttila's Chapel by The Sea in Long Beach. Memorials are requested to either the Naselle Lutheran Church or the Naselle Fire Department in care of Penttila's Chapel by The Sea, PO Box 417, Long Beach, WA 98631. Her guestbook is available at www.penttilaschapel.com.