Oscar Cady

May 18, 1947 - Aug. 22, 2022

Oscar Nisula Cady, 75, of Seattle, passed away on August 22, 2022 after a three and a half year battle with the lung disease idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Oscar was born on May 18, 1947 to Tyyne Irene (Nisula) and Warren Hale Cady in Aberdeen, Washington. His parents owned and operated Grays Harbor Dye Works. Oscar grew up during an idyllic time on the Harbor. The family home was filled with friends. During his high school years, Oscar made a mark on everyone he met. He was a wrestler and member of Glee Club, Spanish Club, Sea Scouts and a Boys State representative. He was proud to have been selected as “Class Cut Up” his senior year. He played the baritone horn and participated in the marching band, pep band and band sophisticates (dance band.) On the dance floor, he regaled everyone with his moves, most particularly with a dance called “The Gator.” After Oscar graduated from Weatherwax High School in 1965, he went on to study philosophy at Central Washington University. In 1969, Oscar met Stephanie Maureen Daniels at a party in Aberdeen. Oscar and Stephanie were married in 1970 and they went on to have two children, Lara Michelle Cady and Thomas Oscar Cady. They remained married for 25 years. Oscar graduated with a master’s degree in theatre arts from Central Washington University in 1972 and was involved in many productions. Notably, he acted in “A Man for All Seasons,” and “A Streetcar Named Desire.” His thesis production, “An Evening with Me,” was a one-man show, incorporating excerpts from “Macbeth,” and “Waiting for Godot” among other great scripts. He was recognized with a “Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities” Award. He later completed a second bachelor’s degree in English and drama with a secondary teaching certificate. A consummate outdoorsman, he couldn’t be taken out of the woods. Oscar had a 40+ year career as a tree man. His work included logging, high-climbing, and owning a small business for residential tree services in the greater Seattle area. He also worked both as a foreman and estimator for large regional tree companies. He had the scars and stories to prove the risk of his chosen career. He survived many obstacles in life. Most significantly, in June of 1986, he fell 89 feet from a tree on Olympic View Drive in Edmonds, WA. He recovered, repeatedly telling his medical team that his recovery would be 100%. In the mid-2000’s, Oscar gradually retired from his work in the trees and spent his time walking, reading, running his local AA Meetings, helping many with their recovery journeys, and working on his collectible cars and trucks. Oscar had a big personality and was often described as “larger than life”. His many passions included a love of trees, nature, the mountains, and walking, backpacking and hiking. As a young man, he’d ask to be dropped off in The Olympics to be picked up 10 days later at a distant location. He was extremely proud of his Finnish heritage, his maternal grandparents, Oscar Nisula and Mary Kuha had both immigrated from Finland, and settled in Aberdeen where their boarding house and sauna became a cultural hub. He often split and stacked firewood for his “Mumma” there. He and his grandmother had a very close bond, and the entire family accepted the fact that he was Mumma’s favorite, her “Oscari poika.” He channeled the Finnish power of SISU to get him through all things. He loved his family and the close group of friends he collected from elementary school on. A lifetime “band of brothers:” Tom & Jim Kalkwarf, Johnny Carl, Louie Kralevich, Val Cummings, Larry Watson, John Eklund, Butch Hanukaine, Glenn Gudaz, Henry Hammond and Mike Krulich were never far from his thoughts. Their enduring friendship was a special gift. He was also eager to spend as much time as he could with his children and grandchildren. He loved the Pacific Northwest and though he referred to himself as a Seattle “transplant”, he never lost his love of the Harbor. He almost never missed the chance to watch a Seahawks game. Oscar was an early devotee to the practice of Yoga. He incorporated yoga into his daily life, studied yoga and shared yogic philosophy with family and friends. He was a lifelong lover of music and was proficient with the baritone horn beyond his high school days, throughout his life. He always had a tune in his head and loved to dance and sing. He had a love of the English language and spent time reading and studying. He loved books on history, the classics and books about the natural world. The Lord of the Rings trilogy and Kalevala (a book of Finnish folklore) were his very favorites. Oscar was preceded in death by his parents, Tyyne and Warren, brother Willis Hale Cady, sister Alice (Cady) Lanczos, his brothers-in-law Elmar Lanczos and Homer “Mac” McCutcheon, niece Nicole Louise Cady, and beloved grandson Hans Nisula Weberling. He is survived by son Thomas Oscar Cady, daughter Lara Cady Weberling, son-in-law Kevin Dean Weberling and granddaughter Elle Cady Weberling, sister Louise Cady McCutcheon, Sister-in-law Joanne (Piesik) Cady, former wife Stephanie Cady, his nieces, nephews, cousins, great nieces and nephews, and many great lifelong friends. Services will be held at the Aberdeen Log Pavilion on Monday, October 17th at noon. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Children’s Neuroblastoma Cancer Foundation, www.cncfhope.org an organization Oscar felt strongly about, in memory of his grandson Hans.