Obituary of Pamela Smyth Webster

Pamela Smyth (Vanderspek) Webster Pamela Smyth (Vanderspek) Webster, beloved mother, grandmother and sister, passed away on Tuesday, October 8, 2013, due to complications related to a brain aneurysm. Pam is survived by her sister, Melissa Morgan; son, Willem Vanderspek; daughter, Anna Powers; grandson, Alden Vanderspek; grandson, Kaes Vanderspek; and granddaughter, Annika Vanderspek. She was preceded in death by her brother, Craig Smyth. Pam was born on November 29, 1934 in Marietta, Ohio to Dr. Jack and Helen (Craig) Smyth. The family moved to Battle Creek, Michigan and then landed in Marion, Ohio. After high school, she ventured to the west and graduated from Mills College, Oakland, California in 1956 with a Bachelor of Arts in Art History. The following day, she married John Vanderspek and they moved to Seattle, Washington. There their son, Willem, was born in 1960. While in Seattle, Pam taught art at the Helen Bush School, and served as a program director for the Seattle YWCA. John then joined the National Park Service as a naturalist and they served at Mount Rainier, Washington; Joshua Tree, California, where her daughter Anna was born in 1963; Kings Canyon, California; and the Grand Canyon, Arizona. Pam was an inspiration to many and had a real zest for life. She was one of the first women to climb the Sunrise side of Mt. Rainier, and later climbed Mount St. Helens (before it blew its top). John retired from the Park Service in 1968 and the family settled in Port Angeles, Washington. Pam became widowed at a young age, and successfully raised two children while practicing interior design. The family moved to Olympia, Washington, in 1971, where Pam continued as an interior designer with Lambert-Gray Interiors, then co-owned Pam Vanderspek and Reits Heinricher Interiors for several years. She married Warren Webster in 1978, retired soon afterwards, and they enjoyed life as semi-professional photographers. They traveled extensively, including a cruise around the world in 2000, and enjoyed meandering throughout the United States in their RV, especially loving the tranquil beauty of Alaska. She became widowed again in 2008, and continued to enjoy photography and time with her family and friends. Pam was a caring, thoughtful person who made everyone who met her feel like family. She was a skilled teacher of life with a great sense of spirituality. She will be greatly missed and will forever remain in our hearts. Pam donated her body to the University of Washington, School of Medicine Willed Body Program to contribute to the advancement of medical education and research. Donations are appreciated to either the Brain Aneurysm Foundation,http://www.bafound.org/donate, or the University of Washington Medical Center,http://depts.washington.edu/givemed/patient-care/. Please share your thoughts and memories of Pam in the Guestbook below; we would love to hear from you. We send our love and gratitude to all of you who meant so much to her.