In Memoriam

1920s

Maxine Terhune ’29, February 23, 2010, age 99.

1930s

Virginia Moore ’37, May 19, 2012, age 97.

1940s

Ruth V. Bogue ’47, November 21, 2011, age 87.

Melvin L. Amy BS ’48, February 5, 2012, age 87.

Norman M. Cobb BS ’49, May 8, 2012, age 86.

Archie W. McCrae BS ’49, April 27, 2012, age 87.

Glenn H. Mickelson BS ’49, December 24, 2011, age 85.

Billie O. Wiglesworth CAS ’49, January 30, 2012, age 84.

1950s

William H. Cook BA ’51, April 9, 2012, age 98.

Neil R. Farmer BS ’51, August 10, 2012, age 84.

Stanley T. Girod BS ’51, March 25, 2012, age 85.

Charles L. Gibb BA ’52, September 3, 2011, age 85.

Patricia J. Gossett ’53, August 27, 2012, age 81.

Madge Howard BA ’53, June 8, 2012, age 80.

Olwyn “Dude” Kennedy JD ’53, April 3, 2012, in Portland, age 86. The eldest of six children, Kennedy was born in Childress, Texas. His family moved to Portland during World War II, where Kennedy worked in the ship-yards before joining the Army Air Corps as a radar mechanic. After his honorable discharge, he went to law school at night while working in the insurance industry. Kennedy practiced estate planning and probate law until his retirement in 2004 from Kennedy Bowles. He married Eleanor Smith in 1952, and they raised four sons. Kennedy coached their baseball and basketball teams, never missing a game or event. Eleanor passed away in 2005.

Kennedy loved the outdoors, spending many hours water skiing, snow skiing, and camping. He was an avid pilot and golfer. In his later years, he cherished his friendship with Rosetta DeVaney.

Survivors include his sons and their wives: Mike and Fabian, Steve and Leslie, Dave and Karen, and Jeff and Jenni. He also had eight grandchildren.

Carolyn V. Leuthold BA ’53, April 6, 2012, age 79.

Harold J. Blank BA ’55, September 9, 2012, age 78.

Paul H. Ryan BS ’55, September 18, 2012, age 84.

Fred W. Hays BA ’56, November 14, 2011, age 84.

Robert “Bob” Knapp JD ’56, February 1, 2012, age 84, in Tempe, Arizona. A native Portlander, Knapp married Patricia Shea in 1950. They had nine children. Knapp joined the Oregon State Bar in 1956 and worked for State Farm Insurance for 38 years. In 1971, he moved from Salem to Tempe to open a State Farm regional office as the divisional fire manager.

Knapp enjoyed vacationing in Hawai‘i and, after retiring in 1991, he enjoyed playing golf with his many friends. He is survived by his wife; daughters Kathy and Anne Marie; sons Marc, Bob, Jim, John, Tom, and Michael; 15 grand-children; and 5 great-grand-children.

Edward L. Parham BS ’56, August 21, 2011, age 77.

Thomas J. Pringle BA ’58, May 21, 2012, age 75.

Duane Duke BS ’59, August 13, 2012, age 97.

1960s

George A. Morris BS ’60, September 12, 2012, age 74.

Ronald C. Pauly BS ’62, April 29, 2012, age 74.

Allen Burget Pynn JD ’65, December 5, 2011, age 75. Pynn was married to Suzanne Goddard for 23 years, and they had twin sons, Travis and Parrish. He served in the Oregon House of Representatives from 1969 to 1973. Pynn practiced law in West Linn, Oregon, until he retired in 1990.

William F. “Bill” Barnett BA ’69, November 24, 2011.

1970s

William “Bill” Mehlhaf JD ’75, February 4, 2012, age 61, after a six-month battle with cancer. Mehlhaf grew up in Corvallis, Oregon, and received his bachelor’s degree from Oregon State University. Before joining Markowitz, Herbold, Glade & Mehlhaf, he was a partner in two other Portland firms and worked as a Multnomah County assistant district attorney. Among the many honors he received during his 37-year career, Mehlhaf was recognized in The Best Lawyers in America for commercial litigation and was named a Super Lawyer. He also was listed as a Litigation Star by Benchmark Litigation. Mehlhaf is survived by his wife, Lynn, and his daughter, Nina.

James P. Steinfeld BS ’76, December 31, 2011, age 57.

Ann (Susan) Baynton BS ’77, September 7, 2012, age 58.

Lynn Deffebach BA ’78, JD ’94, April 19, 2012, age 55, peacefully after a long and difficult battle with breast cancer. Deffebach earned an MEd from San Francisco State University. Her enthusiasm, persistence, and patience as an English teacher in San Francisco were recognized by her coworkers, staff, and students. Even in the difficult environment of a continuation high school, she connected with her students as people deserving respect and her best efforts.

Inspired by the goals of the Peace Corps, Deffebach joined in 1984. She was stationed in Western Samoa for two years, where she taught English to Samoans wanting to attend university. She took her passion for the Peace Corps to Washington, D.C., and served as the congressional liaison for the organization.

After law school, Deffebach worked with the Federal Public Defenders Office in Portland. She loved the law, and as a researcher and legal writer, she was happy analyzing precedents, developing legal theories, and elegantly distilling difficult ideas into accessible prose. Deffebach was the lead researcher and briefer on two appellate cases to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Deffebach also found many avenues to express her interest in art, including through interior design, finding eclectic items from various continents and cultures and melding them together in a harmonious, welcoming home. Her love of life will be missed by many people who were touched by her special gifts.

1980s

W. Mark Winland BS ’82, March 29, 2012, age 51.

John L. Foy BS ’83, December 30, 2011, age 50.

Richard Rictor JD ’87, January 19, 2012, age 61, after battling many medical problems. Born in Oakland, California, Rictor grew up in the St. Johns area of Portland and graduated from Benson High School in 1968. He attended Oregon State University, where he was a member of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity and met West Susan Barrett. They married in June 1973. Rictor began a career with the Portland Police Bureau in 1974. During his almost 28 years with the bureau, he served as police officer, sergeant, lieutenant, captain, assistant chief, and commander. He retired in 2001. Rictor also worked at the Oregon Police Academy as the leadership coordinator, and for the State of Oregon Employment Division as an adjudicator until March 2011. Although a member of the Oregon Bar, he never practiced law. He is survived by his wife, West, and son, Andrew.

Stuart P. Wells BA ’83, May 28, 2012, age 51 after a battle with melanoma. Wells was born in San Diego and graduated from Valhalla High School. During his 20s, his curiosity and spirit of adventure took him on extensive international travels. His governmental relations career began with the National Association of Homebuilders in Washington, D.C., where he met his wife, Debby. They married in 1990 and had two daughters while in Maryland. The family relocated to San Diego in 1998, where he worked for the city’s Intergovernmental Relations Department. In 2000, he began his 12-year career with San Diego Gas & Electric’s Public Affairs Management team. Wells joked that he had a bull’s eye on his back as he represented industries in crisis.

Wells held leadership roles with the League of California Cities, the California State Association of Counties, El Cajon Community Redevelopment Corporation, the San Diego Master Chorale, and the San Diego County Taxpayers Association. He was deeply committed to his daughters and treasured time with them the most.

Wells is survived by his wife, Debby; his daughters, Caroline and Abby; and many admirers.

1990s

Jeffrey Heath JD ’91, April 2, 2012, due to complications of an illness. Heath was
born in El Paso, Texas. After graduating from Reno High School in 1983, he earned a BS in science at the University of Nevada at Reno in 1988. Heath was elected to the student senate, was president of Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity, and was a member of the Coffin & Keys Society. He returned to Reno after law school. Until his illness, he owned a successful bankruptcy law practice. Heath is survived by his wife, Kathleen; daughters, Marisa, Karynna, and Victoria; and sons, Tommy and Bobby.

Nyle Brent Smith JD ’93, January 11, 2012, age 54, in Provo, Utah. He was born July 12, 1957, in Escondido, California, to Ardis Knudsen Smith Voigtlander and Lyle Harrison Smith. He studied film and television production and worked with Tad Danielewski at Brigham Young University, where he met his sweetheart, Caroljoy Cheney. Smith and Cheney married in 1985.

After working as a family law attorney for Soriano and Valent, Smith was associate director of career services at Lewis & Clark Law School from 1994 to 1995. He filled his life with music and performance. He was nominated for the regional Irene Ryan drama award and performed for 40 years, including as Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof and the Ghost of Christmas Present in A Christmas Carol. He was a talented writer and published two books, including the autobiographical Flagpole Fighting and Other Lessons My Mother Taught Me. He had great zest for life.

His daughters were his proudest achievement—and he, their best friend. Smith is survived by his wife and daughters Ardis and Sarah.

David Stewart JD ’97, January 24, 2012, age 41. He was born in Albany, New York, and grew up in Columbus, Ohio. He graduated from Verde Valley High School in Sedona, Arizona, and Ohio State University. In 2001, he married Grace Taylor. Caring, generous, and enthusiastic about life, he advocated for organic foods and bicycling, and he fought against toxins and environmental destruction. A personal injury attorney, he spoke out for those who had been harmed.

Stewart loved travel and being outdoors. He visited family in Sweden and Spain, studied environmental and workers’ rights issues in Costa Rica, and toured South Africa with Grace the year before they were married. Nothing was more important to him than his children, Lillie and James. Soon after his diagnosis, he gathered friends and family in Hawai‘i to celebrate his 40th birthday. He continued his law practice, went camping with family, and attended music festivals. He is survived by his wife and children as well as a loving extended family and community.