Russell spent most of his life residing in the Magnolia neighborhood of Seattle, becoming one of the longest living residents of the neighborhood. He grew up in a house which his father and uncle built in 1906. At over one hundred years old, the house and its giant monkey tree still stand today. Russell attended Lawton Elementary School and went on to Queen Anne High School, graduating in 1942.
Russell had always maintained an interest in the water. During his high school years, he travelled throughout Puget Sound in a skiff which he had built, aptly named the "Sea Horse" after its Johnson outboard motor. He worked as a deckhand on a tug, and later as a shipfitter until he went into the Navy in 1944. Russell served as a Motor Machinist's Mate aboard a minesweeper in the Pacific Theater of World War II, and was honorably discharged in 1946. Russell's tenure at sea ended in a career defining moment when the tug boat he was on, the "Neptune," sank off the mouth of the Columbia River in a violent storm in late 1948. His professional career thereafter was decidedly land-based. Russell worked for the City of Seattle as a warehouseman from 1953 until his retirement in 1983.
Russell was an outdoor enthusiast, documenting his adventures through photography and journals. In 1949, Russ climbed Mt. Rainier with the Mountaineers. And in the summer of 1951, he bicycled through Europe with friends from the Pacific Northwest Cycling Association. It was during a slide show of his pictures from this trip that he captured the attention of his future wife, Marion Ford, originally of Littleton, Massachusetts. The two were married in 1952. Russell and Marion started a family with the birth of Charles, followed by Beverly and Ronald. Russell moved back to Magnolia with his young family in 1959, where he lived for the next 54 years until his passing.
Russell imbued his family with a spirit of adventure through travel and camping. Local weekend trips often included mountain logging roads, a wet tent and a wet dog, or getting stuck in the sand. Longer adventures took Russell's family throughout all fifty states, Canada, Mexico and Europe. And, Russell's love of genealogy led him to visit new-found relatives throughout the United States, Canada, and New Zealand.
Russell and Marion often volunteered their services in retirement by leading hikes and trips with the Seattle Mountaineers' Retired Rovers, cleaning up campgrounds with the National Campers and Hikers Association, working on trail projects such as the Iron Goat Trail, assisting in senior centers, and working with children in the Seattle School District's SPICE program.
The two shared a passion for music, both playing the accordion and violin. Russell picked up playing the viola, as well. They played their stringed instruments in community orchestras for years. Russell continued playing well into his eighties.
Russell's devotion towards his family became more evident in 2000 when Marion suffered a severe stroke. For several years, Russell cared for Marion at home, and still managed to take her out on short trips to Golden Gardens, the Ballard Locks, and other favorite locations. Even after Marion was transferred to a nursing home, Russell spent most of his time at her side. It was Russell's passion for life and devotion to his family that we remember the most.
Russell is survived by his three children and their families, Charles and his wife, Lisa, and son, Jeremy; Beverly; and Ronald and his wife, Debbie, and daughters Lindsay and Ava; as well as numerous extended family members.
A memorial gathering will be held at a later date. Please feel free to sign his online guestbook at www.washelli.com.[[In-content Ad]]
