Russell George Van Moppes

Russell George Van Moppes, USN LCDR-Ret., of Kenmore, Washington, passed away on April 13, 2024. Russ was born on April 23, 1930 in Pleasantville, New Jersey. He was the 10th of 13 children, 9 girls and 4 boys, born to Mortimer Louis and Constance Conley Van Moppes, and he was the final survivor of his siblings. During Russ’s childhood, his father held a variety of jobs, but Russ was most proud that he played the piano, accompanying many local musicians. In addition to caring for his siblings, Russ’s mother took in sewing and laundry to help support the family. As a child he earned the nickname “Peck’s Bad Boy” from his mother for his many exploits on his bike, hunting frogs, leading a pack of neighborhood friends and, generally, finding mischief. But also, he worked hard selling newspapers, shining shoes, caddying at local golf courses, and helping run a local gas station and automotive garage. Even in childhood and his teens, Russ’s strong work ethic was very clear. His family lived mostly in Avon-by-the-Sea, New Jersey, and Russ attended Asbury Park High School.

In December of 1947, at age 17, Russell enlisted with the U.S. Navy. In July of 1948, he began serving on the U.S.S. Pomodon, a diesel submarine that carried approximately 85 men. The Pomodon conducted two patrols during the Korean War between 1950 and 1953. Within 10 years, Russ had earned the rank of Navy Ensign and qualified for Officer Candidate School, which he completed in 1958. Four years later, in 1962, he earned the rank of Lieutenant. In the mid-late 1960’s, he served as Lieutenant Commander of the U.S.S. Bonefish, stationed in Pearl Harbor. All told, Russ served on five different submarines, in the Korean, Vietnam, and the Cold Wars. He later served as the Public Relations Officer for the Naval Submarine Base in New London, Connecticut, and at the Pentagon. In fall of 1967, Elizabeth Lee, his eldest daughter, was born at the Bethesda Naval Hospital.

In 1968, Russ transferred his small family to Lincoln, Nebraska, where he served as USN Submarine Warfare Instructor at the University of Nebraska, and simultaneously earned his bachelor’s degree in business. In January of 1970, Russ retired from the Navy. He again moved his family, this time to Seattle. Soon after their arrival, in February of 1971, his daughter, Mary Lynn, was born at Swedish Hospital.

In Seattle, he began a second career at Foster & Marshall, as what was then-called a “stockbroker.” In Russell’s words, the Navy was “lots of fun, no money,” so he “spent the next 35 years as a registered financial advisor,” which was “lots of money, not as much fun.”

Ever the optimist, Russ still managed to make it fun, and, it turned out, he was a born salesperson. He listened to his clients and elicited their trust, becoming more than their financial advisor, but also a close friend. He loved to study words and was very specific about the ones he used and how he used them. The combination of his understanding of people, his knowledge of business, his language skills, and his innate work ethic, earned Russ a level of success that that kid from New Jersey could only have imagined. And probably did.

Russ remained at Foster & Marshall until their purchase by American Express in 1982, when he and a team of advisors, including John A. Logan, Michael Bell, Sr., and Al Worden, joined Piper, Jaffray & Hopwood. In 1998, they moved and opened the Redmond office of D.A. Davidson. They remained a team, working together for nearly 20 years. More importantly, these four men remained life long friends, raising their children together, and supporting one another and their families to the end. Russ officially retired in 2007, at age 77, but he never lost his love of the work or stopped caring for his clients. He remained active in following the markets, reading three newspapers daily up until shortly before his death, not only for financial news, but also to keep up with local, national, and world events.

His success afforded him membership in the Seattle Yacht Club. There, in April of 1987, he married the one person he loved more than golf and boating together, the love of his life, Elna Ann Thomson. Throughout their 36 years of marriage, Russ would introduce Elna as “my beautiful bride.” He truly cherished her presence in his life and told family and friends that spending time with her was “an honor.” His daughters, Beth and Lynn, want the world to know that their own love of Elna comes as close to equaling Russ’s as possible, and that they are immensely aware of the blessing she has been to their father, to each of them, and as Tutu to their children.

Russell’s achievements also allowed him to hone his golf game through memberships at Sand Point Country Club, Overlake Country Club, the Sahalee Country Club, Wailea Golf Club, and at Inglewood Golf Club. The only thing Russ loved maybe more than battling with “a tough hunk of real estate,” was being on the water. This latter love he passed on to his daughters with many an hour and many a “man overboard” drill aboard the Amen, a 42” C&L trawler which he named as the answer to his prayers.

Together, Russ and Elna created a beautiful life of family and friends, throughout the Pacific Northwest and Maui. For nearly 20 years, they made their home in The Palms, Wailea, coming back to the PNW for summers with their daughters and, eventually, their grandchildren. They also upgraded the Amen to the Consort, a 46” King trawler upon which they passed many summer days with friends and family, in the Puget Sound and both the U.S. and Canadian San Juan Islands. In the end, Russ and Elna’s summer home was less than a half-block from both Beth’s and Lynn’s homes, allowing them the true luxury of regular family time.

Never one to sit still, Russ and Elna also traveled the globe, feeding his constant curiosity and desire to learn and understand the world around him. There are not many countries in the Northern Hemisphere that they did not visit. Russ was an “Old Salt” who loved the water, swimming in it, navigating on it, or laying beside it, especially on a sandy Maui beach. During his “retirement,” Russ earned his SCUBA certification. He learned French, taking classes, and working with a tutor, before language apps were available. Then he continued his lessons online. Russell also learned to paint and took watercolor classes. This allowed him to pass along his artwork as cards, which he used as a vehicle for another of his passions, the hand written letter. Anyone who received a letter from Russell, whether it contained an expression of his love, or his often-unsolicited opinion, received a gift.

One of Russ’s greatest joys in his version of “retirement” was his daily walk from their home to the Honolulu Coffee Shop in the Shops at Wailea, where he would read two newspapers, always including Financial Section of the New York Times, drink lattes, perhaps indulge in what he called “a sticky bun,” and talk to people. Russell could establish a connection with almost anyone because he was truly interested in their story, and, perhaps, because he thought he had some bit of advice or wisdom that he could share. In his PNW summers, he spent many an hour at Victor’s Celtic Coffee, in Redmond, and at Diva Espresso, in Kenmore. The relationships Russ built with baristas in these shops made him genuinely happy, an 80-something year old retired Naval officer, with 20 something year old baristas, and they picked right back up after his nine-month absences.

Russell lived his life fully, and his own way, undaunted, to the very end. He epitomized the characteristics of ethics, willpower, and courage. He never saw a challenge, always an opportunity. And, if he loved you, he would do anything to help you. It is nearly impossible to imagine our lives without his life force, but we know we are the better for the time we shared with him. The family would like to thank Dr. Mark Lacambra, Dr. Erik Torgerson, and Dr. Jeffrey Westcott (retired). Your wonderful medical care extended Russ’s life by many years. We would also like to thank Dr. Adrian Whorton and Dr. Austin Gross of Evergreen Hospital for their compassion and guidance in Russ’s last days.

In addition to his loving wife, Elna A. Van Moppes, Russell is survived by his daughter, Elizabeth (“Beth”) Lee Van Moppes, his granddaughter, Audrey Elizabeth (Lesher), and his daughter, Mary Lynn (“Lynn”) Van Moppes, and his grandchildren Spencer Herb (Straight) and Makayla Caroline (Straight), all of Kenmore, WA. A celebration of his life will be held at 2 PM on Sunday, April 28th, at Inglewood Golf Club, in Kenmore. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial donations be made in Russ’s memory to the Naval Submarine League (www.navalsubleague.org) or to Audubon Washington Society (www.wa.audubon.org). As he wished, Russ’s family will scatter his ashes on his beloved island of Maui.

May you have “fair winds and following seas” always, dear Russ.