About Noah
Like his chosen namesake, ‘Captain Noah’ was a man of nature, willing to take on new challenges, and doggedly determined in the pursuit of his dream…..
Russ never became the ‘farmer’ his Dad wanted because he had other dreams. Educated in Iowa, with a degree in Electrical Engineering from Iowa State University in 1971, he joined North American Rockwell in Los Angeles. However, always up for a challenge, his entrepreneurial skills halted his interests in corporate life after less than 2 years – even though he was invited to an exclusive junior ‘think tank’ team.
After sequential careers in real estate, hay farming, and welding floating docks at his favorite ‘harbor’ on Carter Lake, Colorado, Russ focused on completing his dream. He contracted with marine architect, Robert Harris, Vancouver, BC to formulate that dream into more than the 2-foot model of The Rhumbline. Russ’ leisure activities were reading, problem-solving, flying his single engine Cessna, hunting and sailing. His near ‘photographic-memory’ and quick analysis led to his sometimes ‘spikey’ personality – or apparent boredom – mostly due to his lack of patience of others’ inability to understand as quickly as he did. Although he also golfed, he was attracted to the less common sports. Like Jimmy Buffet – a pirate born 200 years too late. Preparing for and planning hunting camp on the Western Slope of Colorado, an area known as the Flat Top Mountains, included designing and sewing the 10×20 foot tent! He hunted less traditionally – with ‘black powder’ musket, bow & arrow, or in the beginning with a gun, he filled his own bullets. Planning to maintain Rhumbline ‘en route’ as needed, and having had one experience at the Dry Tortugas with a fishing net caught in the motor, he completed his scuba certificate – yes, to solve any unforeseen problems! He loved all aspects of the sea.
Growing up in the 50s on an Iowa farm, the ‘baby brother’ with older sisters (Carolyn & Jan), he was a quiet guy with a quick sense of humor, a good student, and loyal to his friends.
Russ’ optimism was clear from the start, as he wrote in his e-mail to family and friends, following his emergency surgery in December 2005, and the discovery of appendix cancer: “I am assuming that all this will require a series of fun-filled trips to the chemotherapy people, but the priority since December 13 has been entirely on beating/destroying/eliminating this thing. With no prisoners. no quarter. This obviously will put a big dent in what looked (on Dec. 12th) to be a likely Fall launch. It may still be possible, but the priority is for recovery and the cancer/chemo fight.”
In celebration of completion of the first rounds of chemo, in July 2006, Russ chose Kauai as a destination, complete with helicopter over the Na Pali coastline and a catamaran cruise up the coast all to be shared with his fiancee, Jan Schroeder, with his sisters, brother-in-law, and mother. Even though the prognosis was becoming clearer, we all took the last Princess cruise from Puerto Rico through the Caribbean, Thanksgiving, 2008.
The first family travels were to Colorado, where eventually all settled, and where Russ called ‘home’. The family celebrated every occasion with fond memories of the motto, ‘We work together, then we play together.’
But Tahiti always remained his favorite!
