Elliott Arnold Westgate

Elliott was born on December 22, 1927, in Lakewood, Pennsylvania, where he grew up on a dairy farm. He was the second of seven children born to Arnold and Alice Lobez Westgate. He attended Preston High School in Lakewood, Pennsylvania, graduating in 1944. He earned his BS in engineering from Pennsylvania State University. During the Korean War, he served his country in the Air Force as a sergeant (1950-1954). He worked in the aerospace field which brought him to Florida.

He married Lila Reining on September 18, 1956 , Helen Dorman Clem on November 30, 1986 and Ruth Harris on January 1, 2004. Elliott was a supportive, loving and devoted husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather.

He was an active member of the LDS Church, participated in square dancing, and volunteered at the Orlando Science Center. Technology was a passion his entire life. He took his first flying lesson in a field in Honesdale, Pennsylvania; he continued to fly in small planes and then gliders throughout his life. He wished he had more time to soar. Traveling with his family to Cocoa Beach, he witnessed many of the Saturn 5 Apollo launches. The last launch he observed was SpaceX’s Falcon 9 in November 2021.

Elliott is survived by his wife, Ruth Harris Westgate;his brother Paul Westgate; his sisters Martha Cronise, Trudy Boas, and Margaret Barber; sister-in-law Shirley Westgate; his children Debra Kearney, Kathleen (Craig) Wanner, and Susan Westgate; step children Roger (Peg) Clem, Jim (Mary) Clem, Louis Clem, Jeanette Ure, Patricia (John) Tagliarini, Donald Harris, Steven (Cheryl) Harris, Crystal (Harold) Morse; his grandchildren Joshua Kearney, Brandon (Shayna) Kearney, Kerry (Crista) Kearney, Shalyn Kearney and Sierra Brown; his great grandchildren Landon Kearney, Aza Kearney, Ashtyn Kearney, Logan Kearney, Lincoln Kearney, Ryder Kearney, and Harper Mae Kearney and many nieces, nephews, step grandchildren and step great-grandchildren and their families throughout the country.

Elliott is preceded in death by his parents, Arnold and Alice Lobez Westgate; brother Ralph Westgate; sister Gladys (Westgate) Alger; wives, Lila Westgate and Helen Westgate; Son, James Bryan Westgate, step son-in-law Anthony Richards; Step grandson, Phillip Charles Richards; brother-in-laws Bob Barber and Richard Boas; and sister-in-law Lois Westgate.

A private funeral service will be in Lake Mary, Florida and burial will be at Beach Lake Cemetery in Beach Lake, Pennsylvania. The memorial service will be available to attend via ZOOM. Please email: [email protected] to receive details in order to attend.

Donations in lieu of flowers in Elliott’s name can be made to your favorite charity. To share memories or express condolences online please visit: www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/altamonte-springs-fl/elliott-westgate-10790673