Robert W. Wessell

Robert W. Wessell, 96, passed away May 3, 2020. He was born September 26, 1923, in Youngstown, Ohio, the son of Walter and Ruth (Boosinger) Wessell. Bob and his wife, Peg, were married for 64 years before she passed away in 2009. His siblings, Violet Scharnberg, Mary Lou Linsted, and Harry Wessell also preceded him in death. He is survived by five children: Steve (Mary) Wessell of Denver, CO; Rick (Karen) Wessell of Troutman, NC; Laura (Mark) Bunnell of Painesville, OH; Carrie (Jim) Kutney of Lawrenceville, GA; and Sally (Mike) Athmer of Kettering, OH; nine grandchildren, and fifteen great-grandchildren. Bob was a member of Wickliffe Presbyterian Church for over 60 years and was an ordained elder.
In WWII, Bob served in the Army Air Corp, teaching pilots to navigate using the Link Celestial Navigation Trainer. He retired from Republic Steel’s Truscon Division and was an accomplished carpenter and cabinetmaker. He built the family home where he and Peg hosted family and friends for weekends, holidays, and celebrations for over 50 years.
Bob also built a vacation camper, converted a van for traveling, and built heirloom furniture. If Peg could dream it, Bob could craft it. He saw a second use for any piece of wood. The base of the camper became a garden shed; a TV console became a stereo cabinet. He helped family, friends, and neighbors with projects, and he built the communion table and led renovations for the church. Bob loved the ocean, nature, model trains, and the Indians, Browns, and Cavs. He traveled by train to his first Indians game in the 1920s, and was still swimming beyond the breakers in his last decade.
Bob leaves a legacy of kindness and wisdom to his family and all who knew him. A private celebration will be held at a later date. The family suggests memorial contributions may be made to Wickliffe Presbyterian Church, 45 Idlewood Rd., Austintown, OH 44515 or Mill Creek MetroParks Foundation online or at 7574 Columbiana-Canfield Rd., Canfield, OH 44406.