Charles W. Juntunen, 88, a longtime resident of the Clear Lake community passed away on Monday, April 6, 2020 in Mount Vernon, WA.

Chuck was born on September 24, 1931, the son of William & Dorothy (Kangas) Juntunen in Painesdale, Michigan. He started his schooling in Michigan and later when they moved to the Adirondack Mountains, he finished his schooling in Chateaugay NY.

During his years in the Adirondack mountains, Chuck enjoyed running a trapline in the winters and in the summers he was a deep woods camp counselor at Indian Point on Chateaugay Lake.

In 1951, Chuck went to the Korean War. After his discharge in 1953, he returned to New York where he studied at State University of New York. He received a Bachelor of Science Education degree and taught for a couple of years at the Chazy Rural School.

In 1958, Chuck moved to the Skagit Valley and began a long career with the Sedro- Woolley School District, teaching for 31 years. During these years, he also kept busy as a Boy Scout leader in Sedro-Woolley.

In 1972, Chuck married Susan Floyd who was also teaching at Central School and they made their home in Clear Lake for the past 48 years.

Chuck was a naturalist, artist, and outdoorsman with a deep respect for animals and the cycle of life. With teaching as a career, he had summers to canoe. In 1959, Chuck made a journey of 1,200 miles by canoe in the Canadian arctic. He returned eight additional summers to the Arctic to canoe and learn about the Inuit art forms. He loved creating art that was inspired by the north woods. Painting and carving were life long passions.

Chuck, who was so kind and thoughtful and inspiring, is survived by his wife, Sue; 2 daughters, Maren Matts and husband, Dan of Seattle, and Kirsten Juntunen and husband, Jon Cooley of Costa Rica; grandchildren, Caelan, Jade, Karina, and Knox with a fifth due shortly; his sister, Carol Lowery of Plattsburgh, NY; sister-in-law, Joan Juntunen of Lyon Mountain, NY and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, and by his brother, Jerry Juntunen.

No services will be held at the time.  Memorials in honor of Chuck are suggested to the Alaska Conservation Foundation for the Arctic Refuge. alaskaconservation.org/take-action/donate/   Cremation arrangements are under direction of Lemley Chapel , Sedro-Woolley. Share memories of Chuck and sign the online guest register.