MARYSVILLE — If you had no place to go, Clifford Buswell would welcome you to stay on his boat.
He lived at the Marysville Marina for the last 20-some years, aboard the Rum Runner.
It wasn’t just any old boat, said his sister, Lynda Buswell.
The vessel was used during Prohibition to transport liquor from Canada. In its day, it could outrun the U.S. Coast Guard.
A massive heart attack ended Clifford Buswell’s life on Sept. 28. Now, Lynda Buswell is trying to find a home for the Rum Runner at a local museum.
It’s what her brother, 56, would have liked.
A skilled carpenter, he was always working on his boat.
“Owning that boat was a full-time job,” his sister said. “It took a lot of know-how to keep it afloat.”
He loved being on the water and dreamed of sailing around the world.
He served in the U.S. Marine Corps in the 1970s and was proud of his service.
His friends described him as a generous man who was always ready to help. He took in people who were down on their luck.
He didn’t go to church but was a Christian in his heart, Lynda Buswell said.
A hard worker with a great sense of humor, he also enjoyed making people laugh.
“He had the most beautiful, bright, blue eyes,” his sister said.
Clifford Buswell had three brothers, Darwin, Darryl and Darcy. His grown children, Jacob and Jill, live in Oregon.
Layne Hauger of Puyallup was Clifford Buswell’s closest friend in the past couple of years. They shared a love of boating,
“Believe it or not, we could talk on the phone for more than an hour exclusively about boats,” he said.
The Rum Runner was Hauger’s home away from home.
“During our time together, Cliff was truly a contributor and not just a consumer,” he said.
Services Nov. 21
Services for Clifford Buswell are planned for 11 a.m. Nov. 21 at Living Again Worldwide Ministries, 13716 Bothell-Everett Highway. For more information, call the church at 425-338-2407.
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