Charles Inar Stavig passed away peacefully in his sleep on January 22nd, 2026 after a brief illness. He was visited by family and friends in his final days and maintained his sense of humor until the end.

Charles was well-known in the local arts community, and was a passionate supporter of artists from Anacortes, La Conner, Bellingham, and throughout Skagit Valley. Charles was a talented artist and teacher, who was skilled at painting, drawing, pottery, and sculpture, as well as designing and building three of his own homes.

He was also known for his keen wit and humor, his generosity, his easy-going nature, his determination, and his unwavering support for the Democratic Party.

Charles was born on February 8th, 1938, in Seattle, WA. He was immediately put up for adoption and was adopted by Inar Stavig and his wife Letta Daffron. Inar worked for Kenworth Motors in Seattle and raised Charles at his home in Mukilteo with his second wife Patty. The Stavigs lived in poverty throughout the war years, and Charles learned early on that if he wanted comic books or nice clothes, he was going to have to earn the money himself. He spent summers picking cherries and strawberries and found other odd jobs along the way. When he was ten years old, he was joined by a sister, Christine.

In grade school, Charles developed a talent for drawing cartoons, and kept his classmates entertained by drawing caricatures of other students and teachers, heavily inspired by his love of MAD magazine. In high school he got a job driving a delivery truck for Stadium Flowers and also earned money pin-striping cars at the local raceway. He used his hard-earned cash to purchase stylish clothes that set him apart as one of the sharpest dressed 1950s teens at Everett High School and soon allowed him to purchase his beloved 1949 Plymouth, which may or may not have been the reason he was elected Junior Class President.

Charles met his future wife Arlene Libby at the Totem Drive-In on Rucker Avenue on a free-wheeling Saturday night in 1959. One month later, Charles reported for National Guard duty in Monterey, CA. They were wed in 1960 at the First Baptist Church (now Buxton's) in Anacortes with only the preacher's wife and father-in-law as witnesses and spent their honeymoon in Friday Harbor.

They moved to the Fairhaven district of Bellingham shortly after they were married, where Charles enrolled at Western Washington University to pursue his interest in being a teacher. Their first child, Bradford, was born in April 1961, followed by Brenton in July of 1962. Also in 1962, Charles participated in the first Anacortes Arts & Crafts Festival and won First Prize in the Sculpture division. In the following years he volunteered many hours working alongside Jack Papritz and Anita Mayer to help coordinate the festival and hang paintings in galleries.

After getting his degree, Charles found his first teaching job at Green Hill Reformatory in Chehalis, WA. The family relocated to Chehalis where their third son Crane was born in October of 1963.

Charles had a particular fondness for Anacortes and dutifully searched for jobs that would allow the family to move there. In the summer of 1967, Charles found a job as an art teacher at Oak Harbor Junior High School, and after two years he began teaching at Oak Harbor High School where he remained until he retired in 1992. He also augmented his income by teaching art classes at Skagit Valley Community College and working in the canneries during the summer harvest.

In 1977, Charles decided to see if he could track down his birth mother. With the help of a social worker from the original adoption agency, he discovered that his birth mother and father were still alive and living in the area. An attempt to meet with his father wasn't well received, but his birth mother, Marie Kennard, agreed to meet him at the Holiday Inn in Everett. After a few more meetings, Marie told her children the story of how Charles came to be. His brothers and sisters, Daryl Anhalt, Wally Anhalt, Nancy Anhalt, and Linda Perry were quite surprised to learn they had a brother they knew nothing about, but they graciously welcomed him into the family. Charles and his family became frequent guests at their holiday and summer gatherings, and he always invited them to gatherings at his home.

In the early 1990s, encouraged by his friend Wallie Funk, Charles got involved with the Museum of Northwest Art in La Conner. He filled virtually every role available, from Board member to curator, and was instrumental in developing the annual auction to raise money for the museum. Along with friends Tony Turpin and Pat Hawley, as well as his wife Arlene, Charles would drive from Canada to Oregon to retrieve art that had been donated for the auction, and campaigned elite Seattle residents to contribute significant pieces by Northwest artists. Charles' involvement and passion for the museum continued until his passing.

Charles and Arlene Stavig divorced in 1992 but remained close for the rest of his life. In 2000, Charles married local artist Jan Conklin, and he developed a close relationship with her children, Lezlie, Heather, and Tim. Sadly, Jan passed away in 2014.

In 2015, dad met local artist and teacher Candice Reid, and they remained together until his passing.

Charles is survived by Arlene Stavig and their three sons, Bradford, Brenton, and Crane, his grandchildren Conner, Allison, and Lena, his nephews Bryce, Bryan, and Sidney Olson, and his great-grandchildren Lincoln, Savannah, and Autumn Nye. He is also survived by his loving partner, Candice Reid, his brothers Daryl and Wally Anhalt, and sister Linda Anhalt.

The family would like to thank the staff of Providence Hospital in Everett who were caring and supportive during his brief time there, and heartfelt thanks to Candice Reid who never left his side during his final days.

Charles will be greatly missed by those whose paths he crossed, by those whom he made laugh, by those he taught to appreciate art, and by the many people he helped – either financially or by just believing in them – over the course of his life.

Arrangements are in the care of Evans Funeral Chapel and Crematory Inc., Anacortes and the San Juan Islands. To share memories of Chuck, and to receive updates for an upcoming Celebration of Life, please visit the online guest register at www.evanschapel.com/obituary/charles-stavig