Remembering JB Webster: A permanent tribute

| Alki Statue of Liberty | West Seattle news | West Seattle people

When new bricks are installed at the Alki Statue of Liberty Plaza, tribute plaques will be installed too – and one of them will feature the inscription you see above, in memory of JB Webster, the local real-estate agent, community volunteer and Seafair Commodore whose death shocked the community in April. (Original WSB coverage, with dozens of tribute comments, is here.) That’s according to his widow Christi Webster, who talked with us recently about it – she says it’ll be next to a plaque honoring Gregory Johnson, who recently piloted the space shuttle Atlantis, and that means two WSHS alums will be side by side. Christi told us the location is perfect because of her husband’s roots:

She says the wording for the plaque was created with the help of a family friend who’s a poet/writer, reworking part of what Christi read at her husband’s memorial (WSB coverage here). The Junction Keller Williams Realty office where she works as operations manager – where JB worked as an agent – will have a private fundraising event July 15 to help cover the cost of the plaque. As she summarizes, “JB’s roots are at Alki. So this is the perfect way to honor his wonderful spirit.”

living in west seattle since 1985 June 10, 2009 (5:17 pm)

That is a beautiful tribute! Loving and caring! My sincere condolences to the Webster Family and friends.

Not to be rude but, I thought the Seattle Parks Department would not allow memorial – type inscriptions on their grounds. I wanted to put “in memory of . . .” on a brick but was not allowed. This tribute is loving and wonderful. I wish the Seattle Parks Department would allow “In Memory of” on park grounds other than in the Seattle Art Museum’s Olympic Sculpture Park.

living in west seattle since 1985 June 10, 2009 (5:24 pm)

“Stays with each heart he is in” is a very beautiful way of sharing the “in memory of” sentiment. I think the Seattle Parks department needs to take a 2ND look at their rules for inscriptions on bricks, benches and other tributes on park grounds.

David Hutchinson June 10, 2009 (10:27 pm)

Just a quick followup to the previous 2 comments. First, I would like to thank you for your support of the Project.
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My wife and I are the “keepers of the database” of the brick inscriptions as volunteers for the Seattle Statue of Liberty Plaza Project. This particular Parks policy was discussed early on and Libby Carr, co-chair of the SSLPP, expressed similar sentiments. Perhaps if Parks receives sufficient citizen input, this policy could be revised.
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Seattle Parks did, however, provide some alternative wording that they considered acceptable, specifically “IN HONOR OF” and “IN TRIBUTE TO”. Their only objections were the use of the phrase “IN MEMORY OF” and the use of two dates giving the appearance of birth and death dates. Whenever we received a brick order form with either of these problems, we contacted the donor and offered them the alternatives. All brick inscriptions were then submitted to Parks for their final approval. When the additional 850 bricks are installed beginning next week, the Plaza will include 50 engraved bricks using “IN HONOR OF” and 10 using “IN TRIBUTE TO”. There are also a number of other bricks with inscriptions that are memorial in nature.
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Olympic Sculpture Park is owned and maintained by the Seattle Art Museum and is not subject to Seattle Parks & Recreation rules.
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David Hutchinson
Seattle Statue of Liberty Plaza Project

living in west seattle since 1985 June 11, 2009 (12:17 am)

First, The people at the Little Statue of Liberty Project are great. They have done an awesome job making the plaza happen and I am forever greatful to them fot their effort. THANK YOU LIBBY & ALL her many helpers!

Still, I am very dissapointed in the Seattle Parks Department for their inconsistant policy for inscribed dedications. If the idea is to prevent Seattle’s parks from having a grave yard “feeling,” I can understand that. However, if that was truly the case, then there would be no memorials/tributes allowed at all. I can understand not having dates, that is tumb stone-ish. I my case I did not ask for dates, only “IN MEMORY OF.” “IN HONOR OF” or “IN TRIBUTE TO” are not so different from “IN MEMORY OF.” Especially when paired with a blurb about the memorialized person entirely in pass tense. It is abundantly obvious that it is a memorial for a loved one. The rewording suggestions are nothing but semantics. Someone somewhere should really rethink their logic. An apple is an apple. I just wanted to let people know that the “you can say anything you want to” idea is not completely true when it comes to the Seattle Parks Department.