Traveling on the open road was a way of life at one point for Robert Streett, 52, and his family.
Before moving to Sequim, the family of four — including Streett’s wife, Josslyn, 49, and sons Robby, 16, and Sawyer, 14 — embarked on a 31,000-mile RV trek from Chino Hills, Calif., to find the perfect place to live.
That would become Sequim — after 28 states and 14 months.
The Streetts settled in Sequim in 2008 and ingrained themselves in the community with Sequim schools, the North Olympic Library System, Sequim-Dungeness Valley Chamber of Commerce and much more.
The family recently took off for another road trip for vacation in Sedona, Ariz., before going to Robert’s family reunion in Pagosa Springs, Colo.
After leaving the Four Corners monument, a car wreck took the lives of Robert and Robby on July 20.
The Colorado State Patrol reported that the Streetts were involved in a head-on-crash while traveling on U.S. Highway 160 in Colorado.
Trooper Josh Lewis with the Colorado State Patrol said Streett died at the scene and that a 16-year-old male, later confirmed to be Robby, died after being transported to Mercy Regional Medical Center in Durango.
Lewis said the Streetts were traveling east of the La Plata County line in a 2017 Honda SUV at 5:15 p.m. when a 2013 Nissan traveling west hydroplaned and crossed the center line, colliding with the Streetts’ vehicle.
Lewis said the Nissan’s driver, 36-year-old Anthony Rodriguez of Mancos, Colo.; Josslyn; and the two teens were transported to Durango.
Representatives for the hospital said Josslyn was transported later to St. Anthony’s Hospital in Lakewood.
Josslyn said on the phone Tuesday, July 25, that she remains in the hospital with broken ribs, broken wrists, a partially collapsed lung, blood on the brain, a broken bone behind one of her eyes, and some organs are badly bruised but no surgery is required at this time.
She said Sawyer will require surgery but it is not life-threatening and he remains in Durango with two of his aunts and his best friend from Sequim who flew to be with him, Josslyn said.
Sawyer and Josslyn talk everyday, she said.
Doctors told Josslyn she’ll need to be in the hospital 2-4 more weeks for recovery but she anticipates Sawyer will heal faster. She’s been with her mother, sister and best friend.
Rodriguez was released from the hospital with minor injuries.
Lewis said speed is a factor for the wreck. No drugs or alcohol were involved and everyone was wearing a seat belt.
Sequim’s support
Friends in Sequim learned of the deadly wreck Friday morning.
Shenna Younger, a friend of the Streetts, said her daughter was housesitting for the Streetts when she received a call about the family.
“Robert would do anything for anybody,” Younger said. “He felt really deeply and was a very critical thinker. He would always want to hear both sides and evaluate them carefully before making a decision.”
Streett, a California Polytechnic State College graduate, owned Clear Water Bidet in Carlsborg and was active in numerous agencies/groups, and Robby was preparing to be a junior at Sequim High School and begin classes at Peninsula College.
Josslyn said the future of Robert’s business is to be determined and that Robby was planning to earn two associated degrees through the Running Start program.
Streett’s friend Jim Stoffer said they met three summers ago through Citizens for Sequim Schools and they connected right away.
“I could tell he was a good, kind-hearted person,” Stoffer said.
“He was trying to learn all that he could and had a quest for knowledge. He listened very well, too.”
Another friend, Brandino Gibson, said he volunteered with Streett at the Sequim-Dungeness Valley Chamber of Commerce, the schools and Sequim Library.
“He was one of those people that anytime you needed anything, he was there,” Gibson said. “If he said he was going to do something, you knew he was going to be there.”
Younger said Streett went above and beyond often, and when a family friend’s child fell ill, she said Streett always asked how she was doing and later gave them a $700 bidet for free to help with cleanliness.
“That’s the kind of person Robert was,” Younger said.
Streett served on the North Olympic Library System’s board of trustees, as treasurer for Citizens for Sequim Schools, as an ambassador for Sequim and led the networking breakfast for the chamber, was a member of Sequim Sunrise Rotary and helped with many Sequim-area organizations.
Robby was consistently an honor roll student, an avid reader and a member of the high school’s Future Business Leaders of America.
Josslyn said Robby loved writing and had a passion for learning. He also has a good group of friends, a loving girlfriend and he played Magic cards and Dungeons and Dragons.
She remembers him loving him being home and he often played games with her when she asked.
Robby also was a volunteer at the Sequim Library before his dad got involved, Josslyn said.
“He loved being around books,” she said.
Robert and Sawyer, soon to be a freshman, were taking boxing lessons prior to the vacation at Sequim Gym, Josslyn said, and the family loved to go biking together.
One of the first things Sawyer told Josslyn, she said, was that she needed to call the Sequim Food Bank, where he volunteers, to tell Stephen Rosales, the food bank’s board president, he couldn’t be there.
Josslyn is a Reiki Master/Teacher/Reader for her Rain Shadow Reiki business.
Ongoing support
Friends and family arranged a prayer vigil at Bell Creek Pond in Carrie Blake Park on Monday night.
Josslyn said she was aware of the time and they observed a time of silence during it and were grateful for the support.
Family friend Brian Jackson started an online page to bring in financial support for the Streett family and it was less than a few hundred dollars from reaching a $30,000 goal as of Tuesday afternoon.
“I would love to see the community support them the way they supported the community,” he said.
“Joss and their youngest son will have so much to deal with. I only hope that we can help relieve some of the financial burden.”
For more information on supporting the family, visit www.gofundme.com/street-family-support-fund.
An account also was established for the family at Sequim First Federal branches.
Josslyn said she and Sawyer appreciate the love and support from the community they’ve received.
A public service for Robert and Robby will be set when she arrives in Sequim. They will be cremated.
She said prayers, thoughts, Reiki and donations are all appreciated and they’ll need more support when they get home.
Robert Streett. Sequim Gazette file photo
Amanda Bacon sings Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” at a vigil and tribute at Carrie Blake Community Park’s Friendship Garden on July 24. Sequim Gazette photo by Michael Dashiell
