Celebration of Stuart Riddell’s Life

Emily Riddell with her son Cameron and daughter Romayne Levee at end of Issaquah Dock after scattering Stuart’s ashes into the bay, at his request  |  photo from Emily Riddell |  post by Larry Clinton

On April 13, Emily Riddell, her son Cameron and her daughter Romayne gathered at the end of Issaquah dock to scatter the ashes of long-time Issaquah resident Stuart Riddell. (Previously, a portion of Stuart’s ashes had been scattered in the Pacific Ocean off Manhattan Beach.) The family then celebrated Stuart’s remarkable life with dozens of friends and family members at the Spinnaker.

On a beautiful spring day, with boaters enjoying a spanking breeze just below the restaurant, Emily introduced a video of Stuart’s life, put together by one of his granddaughters. After the video, friends and relatives stood up to recount their favorite memories of a renaissance man, and an old school gentleman who didn’t shy away from taking risks. The gathering was like a reunion, with Stuart’s relatives coming from as far as British Columbia, and with former houseboaters re-connecting with old neighbors.

To quote from the program for the celebration, “With his steady hand at the helm, those who knew Stuart were always his first concern, and never disappointed by the transformative life experiences he afforded them.”