John Gilmer Webster

John Gilmer Webster, beloved husband, father, brother and friend, passed away before his time on April 10, 2021, from complications recovering from heart surgery. John was born to Donald Webster and Rita Aeschliman Webster in Spokane, WA on November 3, 1956. John’s brother, Don, was born the following September, and the two became an inseparable pair, pursuing adventures on their bicycles, indulging in epic military strategy games, helping with their parents’ sign business, and spending summer months on their grandparents’ farm near Colfax, WA. John graduated with honors from Shadle Park High School in 1975. He earned his AA degree at Spokane Falls Community College, where he served as student body president and graduated summa cum laude. He transferred to Gonzaga University, where he was awarded his BA degree in Accounting in 1981, again graduating with honors. He went to work as a certified public accountant at the firm of Schoedel & Schoedel. While there, John enrolled in his first ballroom dance class at the Spokane Club. This led to his involvement in the local swing and contra dance scenes and his membership in Spokane’s Schastye Folk Dance Ensemble. He traveled on tour with Schastye to the Soviet Union in the spring of 1990. John fell in love with fellow Schastye dancer, Kimberly Roberts, and the two were married October 30, 1991. For their honeymoon, John and Kim went on a Caribbean cruise, the first of their many, many cruises together. Soon thereafter, John established his own accounting firm, Williams & Webster (which would later evolve into Behler Mick, then Martinelli Mick, before merging into Fruci & Associates). John and Kim welcomed their only (and as John was often fond of saying, their favorite) child, Kaitlin Webster, on November 20, 1992. Kaitlin was her father’s pride and joy. John was a caring, devoted and notoriously supportive husband and father. He was often at work behind the scenes for one of Kim’s or Kaitlin’s plays at various community theaters. He himself was devoted to Spokane Opera, serving on the board for many years, including a term as board president. He regularly volunteered his accounting skills to Artfest, and was a regular supporter and attendee at the Spokane Folklore Society, Tumbleweed, and Northwest Folklife festivals. John was known for his kindness and wit, and the occasional terrible joke. He loved playing trivia and board games, and was especially proud of the width and depth of his knowledge, particularly as to history, ships, trains, geography and baseball. Always an avid reader, John was also fond of singing sea chanteys, watching old war movies (again and again, never failing to note any historical inaccuracy in uniforms or arms) and viewing Youtube cooking videos. He had a devoted circle of friends with whom he walked, talked and breakfasted every Sunday for over twenty years. John was preceded in death by his father and mother. He is survived by his wife Kim Roberts, daughter Kaitlin Webster, brother Don Webster, uncle Oliver Aeschliman, aunt Dolora Koehn, uncle John Morgan and many cousins. A memorial celebration of John’s life is planned for this summer, as COVID restrictions permit.