Wednesday, April 24, 2024
It is with great sadness to announce the passing of our dad, Rick Bader. Rick died suddenly of a stroke on May 2nd, just two months after the passing of our dear mom, Donna. He was 85 years old. Rick and Donna were longtime residents of Edmonds.
Dad had already written an obituary for himself:
I was born at a very young age in the metropolis of Elma, WA (population about 3,000), on Sept. 28, 1934, and reared in Tacoma, WA, by my fabulous parents, Arnold and Dorothy Goodell Bader.
I attended and managed to graduate from Bellarmine High School and, after flunking out of my first year of college, I joined and served 4 years in the Marine Corps. While a Marine, I married my beautiful high school sweetheart, Donna Gustin, and started a family.
After discharge (I was awarded the good conduct medal), I attended and graduated from Seattle University, and with Donna sired and raised 4 remarkable children: Carrie (Tim Biese); Steven, (Jennifer Busch); Diana (Ron Gustafson); and Nicole (Robert Yates), who in turn gave us 5 equally remarkable grandchildren: Albert (Michelle Moya); Sarah, Kate, Luke and Lucy; and one soon-to-be-remarkable great-grandchild, Brandon.
I was preceded in death by my beloved wife, Donna, brother Jack, and leave behind younger brother David and many nieces, nephews, in-laws and dear friends.
Other than my wonderful family and great friends, life was pretty much normal with some success, some failures, but all in all really OK.
Thanks and love to all who helped along the way and I will "see you on the other side."
Additionally, from the Bader children:
Rick enjoyed a successful career in the title insurance, banking and human resource industries. Together with our mom, they loved tennis, travel and the arts. They were longtime members of Harbor Square Tennis Club.
Dad served for several years on the Edmonds Arts Commission and they were patrons/donors of the Edmonds Arts Festival and the Cascade Symphony Orchestra. They attended many art walks in Seattle and Edmonds.
They loved Edmonds, the sunsets, and the beach. A bench in their name will be installed on the grass just south of the Edmonds Senior Center. Please visit it and think of them.
67 years together and only 2 months apart
Rick Bader: 9/28/1934 – 5/2/2020
Donna Bader: 3/29/1935 - 3/5/2020
We will have a service to celebrate their life when we can.
