Russell Westover adhered to the “happy wife, happy life” theory of living.
It worked tremendously for the couple, said his wife, Suzanne Westover. Never a couple who shared harsh words, they were dreamers and doers.
They designed and built a home in Machias and another on the Columbia River, and planted 500 pine trees on 20 acres they recently bought near Lake Chelan.
“We had a lot of plans,” she said.
Her husband, 45, died May 10, Mother’s Day, in a tractor accident at the family home.
Russell Stowe Westover was born in Alabama and raised in Bellevue, the youngest of three children. The Westover kids learned how to like one another and pick up pieces when each other fell.
“Eventually I forgave Russ for eating my crayons, torturing me with spiders and for biting my nose,” said his sister, Deborah Winram. “Russ was an example of living life fully. He manifested his dreams with gusto, building whatever his imagination cooked up.”
Her brother left a blueprint for his three children by providing an example of integrity, honesty and kindness.
Westover attended, and adored, Washington State University, where he met Suzanne Kissee. He worked on and off for 23 years at the Boeing Co. He enjoyed the outdoors, fishing, boating, fixing anything and traveling with his family.
He is survived by his wife, Suzanne; his children, Alex, Christine and Gabrielle (and her new husband, David Dickaut); his parents, Susan and Robert Westover; his sister Debbie and her husband, Dr. Scott Winram; his sister-in-law Jamie Westover; his nieces Rachael, Megan, Siena and Mary Helen; and his nephews, Bert, Ryan, Sean and Cyrus.
His older brother, Rob, died in 2008.
Westover was an attentive father, said friend Sherri Maben. He rarely missed an appointment, practice or sporting event with his children. There was always time to play video games with his son, Alex. Westover was willing to stop at the store on the way home from work, cook dinner and do housework.
He made everything interesting, fun and, sometimes, dangerous.
“He rarely played it safe and seemed to enjoy pushing the envelope with little things like bartering with someone when we were on vacation to get us a better deal or a better seat in a restaurant — to the bigger things like picking up my husband unexpectedly one evening for a late-night drive in his Jeep through Department of Natural Resource land,” Maben said. “My husband and I are quiet homebodies that don’t normally fly by the seat of our pants. So to have a friend like Russ was a true gift to us.”
At work, Westover designed a nozzle that received a patent.
Sister-in-law Jennifer Kissee-Stephens and her husband, Lance Stephens, said Westover drove his boat and dumped riders off the trailing inner tube. He dove off the highest cliffs, head first.
Traveling in Europe, language barriers didn’t stop him, the Stephenses said.
He made friends wherever we went, and got extra servings and service from waiters who got a kick out of his no-limit personality, they said.
Karen Bliesner was part of a large group of WSU alumni, their families and friends who camped each year at Banks Lake.
“Russ always made a point to sit down with everyone, including the children, and find out how they were really doing,” Bliesner said. “He had the ability to break through defenses and encouraged people to open up. But one of his best traits was his ability as a diplomat and negotiator. He was a communicator. Russ’ abilities developed over the years, as well as his circle of friends. It just kept getting bigger.”
Westover’s daughter, Gabrielle, is expecting a baby this summer. When Gabrielle was a newborn, Westover led his sister through the woods of Machias along a dirt road. Then they hiked to a small creek.
“Russ smiled his huge smile, opened a beer for each of us and said this was where I am going to build my house,” Deborah Winram said. “We toasted and I knew that he would do it along with his wife, Suzanne, who he built a lasting, loving partnership with.”
Friend Sonny Roberge said Westover always was giving, helping, sharing, challenging and fun.
“He was the guy all the girls wanted and all the guys wanted to be, and nobody resented any of it and loved him for it,” Roberge said.
Kristi O’Harran: 425-339-3451, oharran@heraldnet.com.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
