Tony Michael Karniss, 74, of Chehalis, Washington, passed away on Oct. 6, 2026, in Chehalis.
Tony was born on Nov. 24, 1951, in Chehalis (Lewis County) to Theodore and Clara Karniss. He grew up in the area and graduated from Pe Ell High School in 1970.
A proud veteran, Tony served in the U.S. Navy from 1971 to 1981 during the Vietnam War. During his decade of service, he was stationed on the USS Ajax and the USS Enterprise.
Following his military service, Tony built a multifaceted career centered on hard work and craftsmanship. He operated his own private concrete business and worked as a mechanic with Sorenson Trucking. He also spent time driving a log truck for Bob Swanson.
Tony was an ultimate outdoorsman who possessed an incredibly creative spirit. He was highly skilled as a welder, carpenter and woodworker, and he loved creating custom metal works using his plasma cutter. His many passions included hunting, fishing, gardening and canning. Above all, Tony was known for his generous nature, always ready to lend a helping hand to anyone wanting to learn a new task, whether they were a young niece or nephew or an adult.
His commitment to his community and the outdoors was reflected in his active memberships. He was a dedicated member of the Back Country Horsemen of Washington for over 20 years, serving as the Chehalis, Washington, Trail Boss and as the organization’s president for five years. Additionally, he spent the past several years managing the Sawyer Program of Washington (Lewis County Chapter).
The following was taken from a Lifetime Achievement Award presentation in 2024:
“Tony was awarded the 2024 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Back Country Horsemen of Washington. He joined BCHW in 2006 and was a member of the Lewis County Chapter where he had held positions of leadership up to Chapter President. He was also a past BCHW Lopper and President’s Diamond award recipient. He had spent a lifetime working in the wilderness as a professional logger, timberman, and trail maintenance volunteer. During his 20 years of volunteering for BCHW, he had logged more than 7500 hours of volunteer time. He worked closely with Federal and State land managers as well as groups such as PNTA, WTA and numerous other user groups. As BCHW’s lead instructor, coordinator, and manager, he had personally coordinated, conducted, and certified more than 2000 students in BCHW’s benchmark program. He was the driving force behind the BCHW/USFS Chain Saw and Crosscut Saw Certification Program, he continued to encourage volunteerism at all levels, and embodied safety first which had led to an outstanding safety record. For Tony, the mission statement rang loud and clear. Whenever you get to work alongside him, we all knew, It’s All About The Trail! His gently soul, kind heart, warm personality, and willingness to get involved was the model for all.”
Tony shared a beautiful life with his wife, Cathy Louise Karniss, for the past 40 years. He was a resident of his home on Centralia Alpha Road for 45 years.
Tony is survived by his loving wife, Cathy Louise Karniss; his daughters, Lisa Williams and Lori Williams; his brothers, Allen Karniss (Mary) and David Karniss (Kristal); and his sisters, Celia Milanowski (Steve) and Barbara Epling (Tom). He also leaves behind five grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Theodore and Clara Karniss.
The Karniss family is asking that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made in Tony’s name to the BCHW Sawyer Program and/or the Lewis County Chapter of BCHW. If you have questions, please reach out to: bchwsawyerprogram@gmail.com
Service will be held at Jester Auto Museum 321 Hamilton Rd, Chehalis, WA 98532 on Friday, November 13, 2026, at Noon
Tony loved great food. Please bring your favorite side dish for a potluck luncheon to follow the Celebration of Life.
