Roger Thurman Westenskow
They broke the mold the day he was born to May and Thurman Westenskow on April 15th 1947. If you were lucky enough to be in Roger’s orbit, you know we lost one of the greats on August 4th, 2021. From the moment he entered the world he had a big appetite for life and an endless curiosity about how things work.
Roger had a quick wit and a knack for bringing an entire room into laughter with a joke, or one of his countless stories that kept everyone around him entertained. He was one of a kind and spread joy wherever he went, evidenced by his large network of friends, with many friendships spanning over decades.
He ran a successful business doing what he loved for many years without ever once having to advertise. Word got around in the circles around town, and his name was given if you needed an honest guy to help diagnose a complicated problem. It brought him great satisfaction to help people, and if you were interested in learning he was always willing to give you a long lecture on how it should be done. The shop was a hub where many characters would gather to socialize, talk about cars, and solve the world’s problems while Roger worked.
It was the end of an era when he “retired” and closed Baker Enterprise after 40 years, but in no way did Roger slow down. He continued to pack up his toolbox every day and head to the yard to work on the project du jour. Even after being diagnosed with Leukemia in 2018 he refused to let cancer get in the way of living his life to the fullest, which he successively did until the very end.
Roger leaves behind many family and friends who are sad to lose him, but there is no doubt we are all better off for knowing and loving him.
Roger never liked a fuss made over his birthday or special occasions and in true form it was his wish not to have a funeral service; but please take a moment to share a favorite memory and enjoy a beer topped with Clamato in his honor.