Charles K. Mashkoftseff

Charles K. Mashkoftseff, of Camano Island, WA, passed away peacefully on September 4, 2010 at the Marysville (WA) Care Center.
He was born in Tokyo, Japan in January of 1932 to white Russian parents who had emigrated to Japan from Russia.
His childhood was somewhat traumatic in that his family's home was bombed during the second World War. The Russian families in the community were interned at the Green Hotel in the mountains and left to fend for themselves during the latter part of the war. Charlie (Charles) assisted the American GIs in searcing for hidden ammunition and gasoline in the nearby mountainsides. He was grateful for the generous payments of food that were given to him for his services.
He was schooled at St. Joseph College, an international school in Yokohama, Japan, which was operated by the American Marionist Brothers. In 1952, he immigrated to the United States with the assistance of an uncle in Seattle, WA. He worked for a short time at Rosellini's 610 Restaurant in Seattle before enlisting in the U.S. Army where he served in the Korean War conflict. Charlie was born stateless and was proud to receive his American citizenship papers in Seoul, Korea while serving his tour of duty.
After his discharge, Charlie worked for the Boeing company for 35 years until his retirement in 1992. He married Adelaide in 1962 and together, thay had four daughters.
Charlie is survived by his wife, Adelaide "Addie"; and his four daughters, Michele Lisa, Julie and Tanya. He enjoyed being with his eight grandchildren, Jessica and Michael, Stephanie and Steven, Brittany and Hailey, and Nicole and Emily.
His biggest passion in life was to go fishing. Earlier in life, it was fishing for steelhead; later, it was to fish from the beach at his Camano Island beach home.
Charlie was very athletic. He was a basketball star in high school; he later played on an army team while in Korea. He played basketball and volleyball often during his working years, and then enjoyed playing tennis after his retirement. He was still seen on the tennis court for a while even after he started using a cane to walk.
He loved to travel. His last trip was to Los Angeles, CA last April to attend a school reunion to meet with some of his classmates from the St. Joseph school in Yokohama, Japan.
A funeral mass will be celebrated on Saturday, September 11, 2010 at 10:00 a.m. at the Saint Nicholas Russian Orthodox Cathedral in Seattle.
Charlie will be interred at the Tahoma National Cemetery on Friday, September 10, 2010 at 10:30 a.m.
The family suggests that remembrances be made to the Alzheimer's Association in lieu of flowers.