Ressie was born December 6, 1930 in Sedro-Woolley, Washington, to Walter and Irene Windish. He passed away on March 23, 2021 at home in Sedro-Woolley. Ressie grew up in Big Lake, WA, and attended the Big Lake school and Sedro-Woolley High School. He married Betty, his beloved wife of 52 years, in 1968 in Clear Lake, WA. Ressie was a true son of the Pacific Northwest, a great grandchild of pioneers of Skagit County and worked on boats on the Skagit River, and he logged starting when he was 16. Ressie was a truck driver for nearly 50 years and he loved it. He started at the age of six with a little dual wheel wagon and driving logging trucks at 17. He drove for numerous logging companies including Puget Sound Pulp & Timber, Vandergrift and Janicki. He started long-haul in the late 1950s going back East and at one point bought his own truck. A highlight of his career was making two-week round trips from Seattle to Alaska on the Alaska Hwy in the 1960s. After marrying Betty, they lived in Edmonds, WA, where he hauled lumber. In 1980, he changed jobs and moved the family back to Sedro-Woolley. He retired from trucking in 1995. Ressie worked hard and played hard. Ressie and Betty loved the cabin they had built in Mazama, WA in 1976 where they enjoyed the beauty of the mountains and many family vacations and holidays. He was known for his pancake breakfasts cooked over the fire. In retirement, he and Betty lived in Mazama for 12 years, involved in the community, and Ressie was a volunteer firefighter. They spent countless hours hiking, biking, Jeeping, and cross-country skiing. He also loved his trucks and mountain cars, especially the 1969 Land Cruiser. They RVed around the US, Canada and Alaska on numerous trips. In the winter, they went south to visit his daughter, Ressina, in Mesa, Arizona, and loved to hike and bike there in the desert. In 2008, they settled back in Sedro-Woolley and gardened, biked, and traveled to see grandkids and other places. Ressie was a kind and loving husband, father and friend. He loved his kids and was proud of all his children and family. We are so thankful he made his choice to serve God in 1996 and was faithful and steady in his place growing daily in God’s service and will for his life. On trips, it was a highlight to meet in the home on Sundays with others in his church.
Ressie is survived by his wife, Betty; children, Judy Bernard, Susan Johnson, Ressina Windish, Georgia Edie, Leif Windish, and Ryan Windish; niece, Kenda Akin; nephew, Matt Windish; 15 grandchildren; 20 great grandchildren, and many dear friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Daniel Windish and Dines (“D.D.”) Windish; nephews, Mark Windish and David Windish.
A Memorial Service will be held at 2:00, Saturday, April 3, 2021 at Lemley Chapel, 1008 Third Street, Sedro-Woolley; please be aware of continued masks and social distancing requirements. Watch the service and enter password “BigLake2021!”
Please share memories of Ressie and sign the online guest register.
Wonderful, faithful friend with always a welcoming smile. Ressie will be missed by all who knew him.
Grandpa Ressie was the best! I’m thankful and blessed to have him. His life was a model for those of us who wish to become a wonderful person, husband, father figure, grandfather and healthy elder. I remember the memories of camping together… the cabin trips, the hiking trips and him telling of his life truck driving and getting to chop up some of the largest fallen trees. He has done very well, leaving an inheritance to his children’s children’s children. Like Jesus said about the two greatest commandments I believe, summarizing, Love god with all your heart soul and strength, and love others as you love yourself. He did that… he did that well. I am a better person for having known him.
Grandpa Ressie will forever be cherished in our hearts! He was a wonderful man. A true one of a kind. I loved listening to him share his stories. I will always cherish the memories from our trips to Washington. They will be kept close to my heart. I pray for the repose of his soul.
He was a great man. He will be missed. I will never forget the great times as a kid, he showed me some of the most beautiful places and the greatest hikes. RIP Grandpa Ressie.
I first had the pleasure of meeting Ressie when his daughter and I became fast friends in grade school. I was thrilled to be included in weekend trips up to Big Lake during Ressie and Betty’s courting days, Ressina and I riding in the backseat and Ressie and Betty holding hands up front in his Thunderbird. Over the years I was invited on camping trips, turkey hunting on the Klickitat, Christmas tree cutting in the mountains , and of course more recently, weekends at his beloved cabin in Mazama. Let his life be an inspiration to all of us. He was hard working, gentle, always good natured, generous, and a great storyteller! I feel so grateful to have been graced with Ressie in my life.
Ryan, We were surprised and saddened to hear your dad has passed; I’ll always remember him and his ready smile! He was so friendly and kind. We often camped near each other at Milltown and enjoyed a catch-up visit. Betty- hugs. You two were always together, inseparable. ❤️ We appreciated our times together in meeting when we vacationed in the Methow Valley. Our Love, Brent and Teresa Frandsen & boys