The Wahkiakum County Eagle - Established as The Skamokawa Eagle in 1891

Attended to by family, Bernard 'Bernie' Cossette, 89, passed away peacefully in his Longview home on June 7, 2015.

One of eight children, he was born August 20, 1925 in Wild Rice, N.D. to parents Delia and Louis Cossette. He entered the U.S. army in 1946 and served as part of a peace keeping force in Italy where he met and married his wife Mafalda in 1947. After his honorable discharge from the army they moved to Washington state where he joined the Washington State Department of Fisheries.

In 1966 he moved his family to Cathlamet where he accepted the position of Superintendent of the Elochoman Salmon Hatchery until his retirement in 1980. He was elected to the Cathlamet City Council in 1982 and lived in Cathlamet until moving to Longview in 2001.

He is survived by his wife of 68 years Mafalda 'Muffy' Cossette, brother Claude, sisters Joyce and Louise, sons Peter, Matthew, Anthony, Steven, eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

A memorial Mass will be celebrated at St. Rose Catholic Church in Longview on June 29 at 11:00 a.m. All friends and family are welcome.