SEQUIM — 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 Chamber of Commerce and much more.
The family recently took off for another road trip to experience sights such as the Grand Canyon, but family and friends were shocked to learn a car wreck Thursday took the lives of Robert and Robby.
Colorado State Patrol reported that the Streets were involved in a head-on-crash while traveling on U.S. Highway 160 in Colorado.
Trooper Josh Lewis with Colorado State Patrol said Streett died on 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 and representatives there say she was in fair condition as of Friday evening. A condition update was not available Saturday.
Representatives in Durango could not release Sawyer’s status because he is a minor, but the Colorado State Patrol said he sustained serious injuries before being transported to the hospital.
Rodriguez is listed in fair condition, hospital officials report.
Lewis said speed is a factor for the wreck. No drugs or alcohol were involved, and everyone was wearing a seat belt.
Friends in Sequim learned of the deadly wreck Friday morning.
Shenna Younger, a friend of the Streetts, said her daughter was house sitting 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 for an associate degree 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 of commerce, was a member of Sequim Sunrise Rotary and helped with many Sequim-area organizations.
Robby was consistently an honor roll student, an avid reader, a member of the high school’s Future Business Leaders of America and a golfer.
Family friend Brian Jackson started an online page to bring in financial support for the Streett family, and it had brought in more than $15,000 of a $30,000 goal as of early Saturday 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.
________
Matthew Nash is a reporter with the Olympic Peninsula News Group, which is composed of Sound Publishing newspapers Peninsula Daily News, Sequim Gazette and Forks Forum. Reach him at mnash@sequimgazette.com.
