Cyril William ("Sip") Crotteau Jr.

NEWPORT

Cyril William ("Sip") Crotteau Jr. of Newport passed away peacefully at 92 years old on September 9, 2022, granted God's graceful relief after a valent effort against cancer and a failing cardiovascular system.  Sip was a Husband, Father and Friend, a Businessman, Craftsman, Christian and Patriot.

Sip Crotteau was born June 23, 1930 to Cyril and Edna Crotteau in Newport, Washington.  He attended Cusick High School in 1949. After volunteering for the Army in 1951, he served during the Korean War as a combat engineer, ultimately training troops as a Platoon Sergeant at the U.S. Army Engineer School at Ft. Belvoir, Virginia.  While on active duty, he completed his high school degree.

On December 22, 1951, in Alexandria, Virginia, he married Bonnie Chappell of Priest River.  In 1953, he and Bonnie returned to Northern Idaho, living for eleven years in Priest River and Sandpoint.  They welcomed two sons into the family, moving to Newport in 1964.

Sip and Bonnie enjoyed their home on the Pend Oreille River, entertaining family and friends, especially during the summer and holidays seasons.  They loved to travel on trips across the U.S. and overseas. Throughout, Sip was a devoted husband, a caring father, an ambitious, positive force of nature, active and successful in the community.

Sip began his work career at 17 as a logger, working for years on a cross-cut saw team with his father.  He worked at Priest Lake lumber camps as a sawyer, blacksmith, and demolition man.  In 1953, Sip joined Pacific Power & Light and as a lineman and meterman, supporting the rural electrification of Northern Idaho.  In 1960, he left PPL, establishing his own business as a licensed electrical contractor in Sandpoint.  Sip was a self-taught carpenter, plumber, and electrician. While in Sandpoint, he built four residential homes with his own hands.  Sip was an expert rifle marksman, competing at the state level in Idaho.  He also enjoyed hunting and fishing.

In 1964, Sip acquired the Chevron Oil Wholesale Distributorship in Newport.  He and Bonnie grew the business, ultimately expanding to bulk plant operations in Newport, Priest River, and Sandpoint.  In 1977, Sip sold the business, after setting a Chevron record of the second largest volume of petroleum sales in Washington state.  Gaining his private pilot's license at age 55, he golfed, ranched, traveled, and built yet a fifth home in the county.  Before retiring in 1995, he worked for twelve years as an equipment operator for the State of Washington Department of Transportation.

Sip served for ten years on the Board of Directors of the Newport Community Hospital from 1978 to 1988.  He was a member of Newport's Masonic Lodge # 144, Kiwanis and Chamber of Commerce.  Sip was an energetic volunteer, compassionate and dedicated to his neighbors, supporting worthy causes including high school sports.  He was active in the American Lutheran Church.  An honorable man, Sip was committed to family, friends, the community, and this country.

Sip and Bonnie celebrated their 66 ^th wedding anniversary in 2018, with Bonnie passing in December of that year.

Sip is survived by his sons Craig Crotteau and Brad Crotteau; granddaughter Jane Crotteau; and sister Mickey Parish.

A graveside service will be held at 10:00AM on Saturday, October 15th at the Newport Cemetery, followed by a memorial service at 11:00AM at the American Lutheran Church followed by a reception, also at the church.  In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Pend Oreille Historical Society in Cyril William (Sip) Crotteau Jr.'s name.  Everyone is invited to sign the online guestbook at www.shermancampbell.com.

Sherman-Campbell Funeral and Cremation Services in Newport, WA is in charge of arrangements. Family and friends are welcome to visit their website at www.shermancampbell.com