Wenford Robert Schurman III, better known as Rob/Robbie 42, of Arlington, Washington, passed away on December 19, 2019 due to brain cancer.
Rob was born in Hamilton, Montana, on March 21, 1977. He graduated from Marysville-Pilchuck High School in 1995 and continued on to receive a Bachelors of Science and Civil Engineering Degree from Washington State University in 2001.
Rob married his Cougar Sweetheart, Sarah, on June 28, 2003 in Monroe, Washington at The Church of the Nazarene where his Great Grandfather was a Pastor during the Depression. Rob supported his wife to continue her education in addition to her time at WSU for her to go to Nursing School. Unbeknownst to him, she would be his own personal nurse and advocate through his journey with brain cancer.
Rob and Sarah had two children, Addison (8) and Ford (5). Rob and Sarah have been together for 19 years and were married for 16 of those years.
Rob started his career as a Civil Engineer for Entranco in 2001-2004. He then worked for Berger/ABAM from 2004-2015. One of Rob’s favorite projects was his work with the new 520 floating bridge. Rob designed the spill-prevention system under the Evergreen Point Lid that will safely discharge oils or toxic
materials in the case of a spill without contaminating the lake. He also designed an ADA-accessible path along the south side of SR 520 that will allow
pedestrians to access a lookout point to the lake. Another element he worked on was the signing for the entire corridor. According to one co-worker Rob “always went about doing his work quietly, in a very detailed manner, with great quality and not a lot of fanfare.”
After commuting to Seattle for 10 years, he took a job closer to home with Snohomish County as an Engineer III with the Public Works Department in the Surface Water Management Division. He led a program called Fish Passage Culverts prioritization and implementation. In other words, according to his
daughter Addison, “Daddy saved the fish.” Rob’s co-workers at Snohomish County were beneficial in helping Rob through his diagnosis with brain cancer. He was very dedicated to his job at Snohomish County and worked up until the end of September. Rob even continued to try to work daily after that in which
his wife reminded him that he had not been released to go back to work yet.
Rob was a fan of the Cougars (of course), Seahawks, and he had season tickets to the Everett Silvertips hockey games. He loved family vacations to the Bitterroot Valley in Montana to visit extended family, and he enjoyed camping with his family. Camping at Lake Connor in Lake Stevens, Washington was a
family affair with his parents, sister and brother-in-law, nieces and nephews. He enjoyed woodworking like his late grandfather Royce and made a farmhouse kitchen table for his family to enjoy for years to come. He collected old Washington State football games and converted many of them from VHS to DVD. Rob enjoyed technology and had all of the latest Apple
products. He had his house up to date with all the latest gadgets. Even his dishwasher would send him a notification to his iphone when it was done
washing… as for us we are still trying to figure out how to turn the TV on.
Rob is survived by his wife, Sarah, and children Addison and Ford; his parents Bob and Sandy Schurman; his sister Chris Scott (Jonny); and many nieces, nephews, in-laws, aunts, uncles and cousins.
Rob is preceded in death by his grandfathers, Wenford Robert Schurman, Royce Allen McCarty and Thomas Earl Handley; grandmothers, Ruth Viola Schurman, Edna Mae McCarty, Donna May Ottoway and Elsie Glein Schurman.
In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be given to Parent Project Muscular Dystrophy (PPMD) for further research in finding a cure for Duchenne’s Muscular Dystrophy which afflicts his son, Ford.
The family of Wenford Robert Schurman III wishes to thank the caring and wonderful nurses and doctors at Providence Regional Medical Center-Everett, Swedish-Cherry Hill and UW.
