Russell John Ramsey

1925-2016

Russell John Ramsey, 90, of Langley, passed away peacefully the evening of March 20, 2016, after a long illness.

Russ, as he was widely known, was born in Yakima on Dec. 18, 1925, to Russell and Annie Lybeck Ramsey. He was raised in Kent and Ballard.

In 1944, he volunteered for the Navy and fought in the Pacific War’s largest amphibious assault in Okinawa.

After the war, Russ worked for 32 years as an appliance repairman. On a repair call at the West Seattle home of Alex and Ruth Macdonald, he met his future wife Claudia Macdonald.

They were married on May 15, 1953, and lived in Bellevue, where they raised two daughters and a son.

When Russ was nearing retirement, he and Claudia moved to Whidbey Island on property homesteaded by Claudia’s great-grandfather John Macdonald.

Russ had a lifelong passion for fishing, whether it was on the Green River in Kent, the Skynomish at Sultan, the Kenai in Alaska, or, more recently, Bush Point and North Lagoon on Whidbey.

He served on the board of the Puget Sound Anglers and participated in local salmon enhancement projects.

On March 16, 2015, he took “one last mission,” a Puget Sound Honor Flight to Washington D.C. to visit and reflect at the memorials honoring WWII servicemen.

Survivors include his wife Claudia, daughters Rande Cross and Wendy Cooper, son Robert Ramsey and grandchildren Zach and Kelsey Cooper.

“Tight lines” to all his fishing friends.