Richard Navas

1949 - 2015

Richard Edward Navas

March 23, 1949 – March 19, 2015

A man who loved an adventure, Richard has begun the ultimate journey. The fourth child of Edward R. and Josephine L. Navas, Richard grew up with five siblings in El Cerrito, CA. As a boy his passions were hiking with the Boy Scouts, conducting experiments in the basement and reading voraciously on physics, chemistry and mathematics.
His move to Bellingham WA in 1972 thrust him directly into community involvement. He was actively involved in the early days of the Food Co-Op, the original Bellingham Organic Flour Mill and the Fairhaven Bakery. His interest in sourcing organic wheat took him on boxcar-riding journeys throughout the United States. During these years, Richard was a firefighter with the U.S. Forest Service and was an original member of the Holy Smokers, the agency's first crew with 50% women. His community involvement also included electrical work for hydro electrical projects at Cascadian Farms and Holden Village.
He returned to academia in 1982 and attended Western Washington University (WWU) where he earned a BS (1985) and MS (1987) in math. He worked for several software companies until 2012 when he began teaching computer science at WWU. While teaching he also studied economics. He will graduate with an economics degree posthumously. He was passionate about teaching, learning, and providing scholarships for environmental studies.
In addition to his wife, Camille Ciancanelli, he leaves siblings Delia Bales, Elizabeth Navas Finley, Teresa Albro (Ron), Michael Navas (Ebba), Kazia Navas (Joe Fortini), plus Camille's brothers and sisters in law: Andy Dumovic and Paige Kasia, Joe Dumovic and Andrea Rae, and many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews.
A memorial is planned for 10:30 a.m. Saturday, May 2, at the Center for Spiritual Living Bellingham, at 2224 Yew Street Road, Bellingham. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Sierra Club are suggested; Richard was a lifetime member.
Richard will be remembered for his passion for backpacking and mountaineering, gentle manner, his love of laughter, his habit of asking complex questions and his penchant for grappling with complicated science, math, and philosophical problems. Above all, he had a talent for friendship and a loving heart. We remember his hearty goodbye hugs and parting words: "Hey, be good to yourself."