Henry James Kysar was born Dec. 26, 1944, to James and Edel (Christensen) Kysar in Vancouver, Wash. He passed away April 15, 2021, at Legacy Salmon Creek Hospital from complications due to COVID pneumonia. Henry was number six in a family of twelve children. The family lived at the end of Elliot Road, Yacolt, Wash., all his parents married life. He attended Amboy Elementary School and Battle Ground High School, from which he graduated in 1963.
Henry married Leila Abernathy July 19, 1964. They lived most of their married life in North Clark County. They moved around the Pacific Northwest from 1992 to 2008, before returning to Clark County for the remainder of his life. The family lived in Baker, Ore., area for four years, moved to Priest River, Idaho, for two years then lived in Long Beach, Wash., for ten years.
After completing high school, he worked as a timber faller until 1971, when he went into business for himself. He was in construction for one year then operated Henry Kysar Logging, later Kysar Tree Farm Management, until he retired from owning his own logging business in 2002. His nephew, Mike Rotschy, worked for him as a young man, then joined him in partnership in his logging business until finally Mike took over the business, and Henry worked for him occasionally until being out in the woods became too difficult due of his age in 2018.
In 2002, while living at Long Beach, he started a handyman business called Handyman Henry and continued working as a handyman after his return to Clark County up to the time of his death. Henry was a very loving and kind man who made friends with everyone he met. He had a great sense of humor and was greatly loved by hundreds of people who knew him well and felt that he was a surrogate father or grandfather or friend to them all. Henry was a member of the Old Apostolic Lutheran Church; his faith was central to his life and everyone who knew him was aware of the depth of his commitment to the true and living doctrine of Christ.
Henry and Leila were unable to have natural children, but opened their hearts and homes to their beloved adopted five children and two very special foster sons. Henry is survived by his beloved wife of almost 57 years, Leila; his son, Nathan Kysar with wife, Stacy of Brush Prairie, Wash.; daughter, Darlene Homola with husband, Craig of Brush Prairie, Wash.; twin sons, James Kysar of South Seattle, Wash., and Joel Kysar with wife, Mary of Woodland, Wash.; and his daughter, Mia Kaski with husband, Harold of Battle Ground, Wash.; 24 grandchildren; 10 step-grandchildren; and 19 great-grandchildren; though Henry said all his grandchildren were great. David Reddig and Billy Reddig lived with Henry and Leila during their high school years and were a dearly beloved addition to their family.
Henry is also survived by his sister, Emily Sarkinen of Battle Ground, Wash.; sister-in-law, Linda Kysar of Yacolt, Wash.; brother, Daniel Kysar of Amboy, Wash.; sister, Kathryn Bean with husband, Tom of Vancouver, Wash.; sister, Marie Rotschy of Yacolt, Wash.; sister, Becky Abernathy with husband, Mark of Kalispell, Mont.; brother-in-law, Jerry Tormanen with wife, Debbie of Battle Ground, Wash.; sister-in-law, Debbie Kopman with husband, Dale of Hayti, S.D.; brother, Jay Kysar with wife, Charlotte of Amboy, Wash.; brother, Jon Kysar with wife, Cheryl of Yacolt, Wash., brother, Edwin Kysar with wife, Laurie of Amboy, Wash.; and numerous beloved nieces and nephews.
Henry was preceded in death by his parents, James and Edel Kysar; his two brothers, David Kysar and Loren Kysar; and sister, Cindy Tormanen.
Funeral will be held at Old Apostolic Lutheran Church of Yacolt at 1 p.m., April 21, 2021, with internment at Elim Cemetery, Brush Prairie, Wash. There with be a recessional viewing at the funeral.
