Folks Of Interest Dee Wescott 1927-2009

Dee Wescott was born in Portland Oregon August, 13 1927 to Mabel (Elliott) and Jay A Wescott. While in grade school the family lost everything in the depression and moved to the Damascus Oregon area where family could help out. Dee had started grade school in Portland, and graduated from the Damascus Grade School.


Dee Wescott bought his first car in 1939, when he was twelve years old. It was a Model T Ford pickup which, he said, he soon began to modify, rebuilding the motor in his bedroom. A few years later he was racing a Model T roadster through the orchards of his community, Damascus, Oregon. Dodging trees was a little rough on the cars, so Dee started a backyard repair shop with a homemade wooden hoist, a humble beginning for his future rod-building career.


December 6, 1941 the family took delivery of a new Ford Tractor, Dee remembered they were using it the first time the next day when his mother ran out with the news of the attack on Pearl Harbor. While in high school Dee not only played football but joined the Oregon Guard (mostly consisting of those too old or too young to serve in the active armed forces) and participated in searches for Japanese parachute bombs. Dee enlisted in the Navy on graduating high school, while 17. Dee was selected for advanced avionics training and became an radio and radar technician, and served two carrier tours in 1946-1947.


After discharge Dee entered vocational school for both auto mechanics and auto body repair, while working part time for an upholstery shop. Went into a partnership with his cousin in an auto related business. In 1953 the partnership ended, and Dee went into business as “Wescotts Auto Restyling”. The new business specialized in “Hot Rodding” and “customization” of cars, along with body and fender repair and painting.


By 1953, Dee was involved with the Motor Sports ***ociation which held races at the Jantzen Beach raceway. When a fellow driver was badly burned Dee took on the promoters insisting that they provide and maintain adequate firefighting equipment to prevent further tragedy. At the same time, Dee was driving his 32 Ford Coupe in loosely organized street races around town. Numerous local “hot-rod clubs” would meet on little-used roads anytime of the day or night to race. Sheriff Terry Shrunk (later mayor of Portland) was sympathetic to the rodders' desire for speed, but concerned about the safety of the community, so he approached the street rodders to see if some sort of compromise could be reached. Having proved himself as a leader, Dee was the natural spokesman for the rodders. When the clubs organized the Multnomah Hot Rod Council in 1954, Dee became the first president.


The first order of business was to move the races off of city streets, so the council negotiated for permission to race on idle airstrips until a permanent racing facility could be found. In 1958, the council purchased the Woodburn Drag Strip, and the races became more official. In the meantime, the council organized car shows where the public was invited to share in the rodders love of cars. Dee showed the first known rod customized from a current model car: his 1953 Oldsmobile pickup. It had started out as a sedan, but had been rolled on a mountain road. Dee salvaged the ch***is and some front end sheet metal, grafted on a Chevy bed, and hand built the fenders.


In 1955 Dee married his wife Kay (Lear).


The Portland Roadster Show was born in 1956, and has met every year since. This is the longest running annual car show in history. Early on, many of the cars shown were customized in Dee's business, Wescott's Auto Restyling.


In the 1950s Dee experimented with fibergl*** repair in order to work on Corvettes. This became a significant part of his business with industrial, marine and Wescott's high-quality replacement street rod parts and reproduction Ford bodies. These are generally recognized as the best in the industry and form the basis of hundreds of prize winning street rods. In the 1980s the industrial, marine, paint, and repair parts of the business were phased out in favor of concentrating on the Early Ford Replacement Parts and Body business.


Dee joined the Boring Fire District as a volunteer firefighter. In 1958, Dee became volunteer Chief . He remained active as a volunteer until 1997, at age 70. He was elected to the Fire District Board of Directors in 1968 and served as Chairman for many years. He loaned the fire district a small lot for a station, and for many years the air horn that summoned firefighters was kept on top of his building.


1959 was the 100<SUP>th</SUP> anniversary of Oregon's Statehood. When official celebration plans fell apart the community of Damascus came together and decided to do one themselves. 100 days of gunfights, covered wagons, bear feeds, buffalo feeds and a 40 foot tall wax candle... Dee was a major part of the organization and played a gunfighter. All men in the community were asked to wear beads for the celebration, to honor the pioneering spirit. When members serving in the national guard were threatened with court martial Dee, along with two others, telegraphed President Eisenhower requesting special dispensation. It was given. With money left over from the celebration the Damascus Civic Club was founded and purchased land for a community park. Dee was part of it from the beginning.


Dee was active in the formation of the Damascus Water District. Shortly after it was formed he was elected to the Board of Directors and served many years, several as Chairman.


In 1979 the fibergl*** industry was being threatened by unreasonable OSHA requirements. He helped form the Oregon Reinforced Plastics ***ociation to educate industry on safe practices, and regulators on what are and are not the specific hazards and challenges for the industry. This led to the adoption of a special and workable Oregon OSHA standard for the fibergl*** industry. He served as President for several years.


In 2005, after spearheading an effort to incorporate his childhood community of Damascus, Oregon, Dee became the first mayor of the new city. He was re-elected in 2007 for a second two-year term and served through 2008.


In May 2007 Dee was diagnosed with a brain tumor. He retired from day to day work in his business. Despite chemotherapy and other complications Dee continued to keep active working through December 2008 on a customized 1933 coupe, the Fire District Board, and as Mayor of Damascus.


Dee was preceeded in death by his parents, his older brother Jay Alonzo Jr, and his younger brother Coe. He is survived by his wife Kay, his children Karl Wescott, Julie Meyer, Amy Hutchins, and Tim Wescott and 6 granchildren


Dee p***ed away peacefully on January 29, 2009.

 

Great innovator and long standing important member of the car community. Sorry for your loss, he was a gain to us all. Thanks, Jim Aust

 

So sorry to hear of Dee's p***ing. Truly a legend in this hobby and a remarkable man who obviously had a full life. Take solace in knowing that he enriched the lives of not only your family but many others as well
Godspeed Dee

 

WHAT!!! damn I will really miss Dee,I used to go out to his place from time to time when I live in Milwaukie Oregon,he was always fun to talk with and I never left Wescott's auto restyling without learning something.Dee really was ahead of the curve on the hotrod fibergl*** idea.Again we have lost another legend.godspeed Dee and my prayers and thoughts go out to his family

 

WOW! we have lost a lot of great men over the last 12 month's.

 

I met Dee his son and wife while at there place in Damascus Oregon to purchase a rear fender for my 31 Ford RPU.
He will be missed.

 

Karl, you dad was a generous man with his knowledge of the fibergl*** business and was gracious to share information when I started my business even though it was clear I would be a compe***or. My sympathy goes to your family for your loss and the hobby has lost a great pioneer as well.

Keith Ashley
former owner of Fairlane Company

 

Soo sorry to hear of your loss, you and your family are in my prayers,.....

 

Our prayers are with You and your Family.

 

Gods speed Dee.
Another legend is gone.
Will be missed by many.

 

He set the standard when it came to fibergl*** hot rod bodies. I remember calling him after he introduced the '32 roadster body, asking some questions and was impresssed with his knowledge and positive at***ude. He had just painted one of the bodies and his enthusiasm for the way it turned out was obvious over the phone. I got to talk to him a couple of times at hot rod events and he was always willing to answer questions.
Karl, you and your family and in my prayers, we've lost a quality human being and i'm glad I got to meet him. God speed Dee.

Frank

 

RIP Dee.
We sure have lost of great ones in last year.

 

I talked to him a number of times in the booth at shows here and there. He was a true gentleman. My thoughts are with you and the rest of his family. Dee will be missed.

Charlie

 

You have our condolences. Your pops was a heck of an innovator and will be missed.

 

Godspeed. Thoughts and prayers to the Wescott Family.

 

I'm very sorry to hear of your loss. You have my deepest sympathies.

 

My heartfelt condolences to you, your family and many friends during this most difficult time. A true loss to the hot rod world.

 

Sad news , Dee was a really nice fellow , innovator & Hot Rodder , he will be missed .

Our condolences to your family

RIP Dee

Steve

 

Sorry Karl. Thanks for posting this - I know it wasn't easy. You guys have been a staple of stability in my life. Used to always make a point of cruising through there as a kid. In the 70's, I worked at Foster Auto Parts and began dropping by your place - Dee always took time for my questions and gave me sneak peeks at the latest projects. I came back in the 90's, while working for Drakes (Bob's roadster is supposedly Dee's first deuce). In '01, I went to work for Steve's (for a short while) and dropped by one last time - Dee took an hour and a half(!) showing me his latest (32/33 coupe). Then I got busy and... I didn't even know he had the tumor.
Thanks again Karl - for all you guys have done. Are you going to keep the doors open?
Scotty

 

I'm sorry for your loss. My thoughts and prayers are with your family.

 

A great person, a big loss.

Alot of my sedan is from bits and pieces purchased from Dee.

 

Karl, thanks for posting. My condolences to you and your family. A big loss to our hobby and our community. Will keep Dee in our prayers.

 

A pioneer and hard working American, we can all learn from his work ethic and contributions. My condolences and prayers.

 

Wow, Karl, I am so sorry to hear about your dad. Dee was one of the greatest guys one would ever want to know. I always enjoyed our conversations.

Dale Caulfield
WEEDETR Street Rod Components

 

My condolences to all the Wescotts'. Having known Dee and the family for over 25 years, this loss hurts me more than words can say. He was much more than a compe***or in the fibergl*** business, he was the first cl*** man the rest of us had to look up to.
Rich Venza
Ai Fibergl*** & Rod 'n Race Fibergl***

 

A true legend in the field. From a fellow native Oregonian, rest in peace, and thanks for all you have contributed to our industry.

 

Karl:

Sorry for you loss, Dee was a valued member of the Hot Rod Community.

BB

 

wow!!!! sorry to hear the news, ive grown up in portland and had meet dee a couple of times and he was always a super person, always kind and would treat you like a real person. what a great loss.

 

Dee was a grate Guy. I always enjoyed his input on a variety of different Projects. I will truly miss my many conversations with him. God Speed

 

Karl,

Our families send our sympathy and condolences to you and your family.
It was a good experience knowing your Dad and you during my long career in the antique auto parts business. I'll always remember unloading the 32 Tub body Trip bought from your Dad in 1975. It was real excitement around the shop when that body was uncrated and admired by employees and customers alike until Trip took it home a couple weeks later.
Sorry to know Dee, as one of the pioneers, will be missing in the future but he will never be forgotten,and he has taught you well to carry on the traditions and make new ones at Wescott's Auto Restyling.

All the best.

Dean