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Christianne Strum
Chris was born on September 8, 1953 in Elgin, Illinois. She died on January 13th, 2024, leaving this earth with a gentle sigh, after a ferocious battle with pancreatic cancer. Chris was a light to all who knew her and will be deeply missed by her many friends and extended family.
Chris was raised in Elgin, where she was valedictorian of her high school class. She began undergraduate studies at Augustana College, then transferred to Northwestern University, graduating Summa Cum Lauda with departmental honors and election to Phi Beta Kappa. After graduating, she worked in Chicago for a stock brokerage firm where she became a vice president at age 26.
Chris met her beloved husband, Greg, in December, 1971, when he was invited to join her Christmas caroling group. They eventually settled in Salem in July, 1985. Her next career was as a dedicated stay-at-home mother to sons Michael and Mat, while also taking on many volunteer roles. Chris then returned to the workforce, where for the last ten years of her career she served as Senior Program Coordinator at the Willamette University College of Law.
She is survived by her husband of 46 years, Gregory M. Strum, M.D., son Michael Strum, M.D, daughter in-law Ashley Lundgren Strum, M.D., son Matthew Strum, daughter-in-law Desirae Piter Strum, and grandchildren Nora and Jackson Strum.
Marjorie Willson
Marjorie Wilson, 89, of Silverton, OR, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, and friend, passed away peacefully on January 15 into the loving arms of her Savior, Jesus.
Born in Kansas, to James and Kathryn Mosolf, she moved to the Northwest at an early age and grew up in Salem, attending Salem High School and University of Puget Sound. In addition to raising 5 children, Marjorie was active in PTA, and worked at Englewood Elementary School, finishing her career as the Director of Summer Conferences at Willamette University in Salem.
She also enjoyed many hobbies and activities including dancing, sports (particularly baseball), traveling, stamping, reading on her Kindle, and gardening. For Marjorie, family was her love. Having her "chicks" all together and being the hub of activity brought her great joy.
On September 18, 2010,Marjorie married Bob Wilson. They shared their faith and a great love for each other and for family. They passed this love on and she will be greatly missed by all who knew her.
Marjorie is preceded in death by her son Michael and is survived by her husband Bob and his family as well as her four children, Bill, Jim, Steve and Amy, 11 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren.
Warren Cooper
Warren Cooper passed away on December 30, 2023 in Turner, Oregon. He was born on July 17, 1942, in Jackson, Mississippi. Born to Henry Richard Cooper and L. Laurine Harrell Cooper Steverson, Warren was an only child who embarked on a life filled with diverse experiences and cherished moments.
On April 24, 1963, he united his life with Gloria, marking the beginning of a profound partnership. Together, they were blessed with two beloved children, Melinda and Steve, who became the heartbeats of their lives.
Warren's journey was marked by dedicated service. He honorably served four years in the United States Air Force, receiving commendations for his unwavering commitment and sacrifice. Post-military life saw him embrace various professions-a custodian at Willamette University for 22 years, a skilled massage therapist for 19 years, and a compassionate nurses' aide for 17 years at the Oregon State Hospital. \
His interests were as varied as his roles in life. Warren was a man of God, committed to his daily Bible reading. Warren had a passion for growing roses, found solace in live weekend ministries, exhibited a talent for needlework, and found joy in watching old westerns. His knack for fixing things earned him the endearing title of "Mr. Fixit," a testament to his resourcefulness and skills.
Warren is survived by his devoted wife, Gloria Cooper, children Melinda Segerson and Steve Cooper, grandchildren, Katelyn Makous, Asi Olson, Jayden Cooper, Brooke Condit, Jociah Cooper, Hadley Cooper, Elijah Cooper, Damian Cooper, Terrell Parras, Tyson Parras, Trenton Parras; great grandchildren, Lachlan Makous, Hudson Makous, Rowan Makous, Amaya Cooper, Everly Olson. His mother, L. Laurine Steverson, and stepfather, William Steverson, preceded him in death.
Warren Cooper will be remembered for his unwavering dedication, his warmth, and the legacy of love and memories he leaves behind. In our hearts, his spirit will forever resonate-a testament to a life lived with integrity, compassion, and boundless love for family and country.
Justice Edwin Peterson
Edwin J. Peterson, a retired chief justice on the Oregon Supreme Court who oversaw a 
restructuring of the state's circuit courts and helped usher in a controversial free-speech decision that led Oregon to temporarily grant protections to child pornography, died on Dec. 2 in Salem. He was 93.
The controversial 1987 ruling, approved unanimously, threw out the state's obscenity statute on the grounds it violated the free speech provision of the Oregon Constitution.
The decision, State vs. Henry, overturned the conviction of a hardcore pornography retailer in Redmond, led to the invalidation of Portland zoning restrictions on adult businesses such as strip clubs and prompted the state appeals court to extend free-speech protection for child pornography, The Oregonian reported in 1995.
"In this state any person can write, print, read, say, show or sell anything to a consenting adult even though that expression may be generally or universally considered 'obscene,'" the high court wrote in the ruling.
Peterson, who described himself in the 1990s as conservative, expressed discomfort with the ruling but said he was bound by the legal principle of stare decisis, or following precedent. "I don't like the Henry decision," Peterson said in 1995, "but I think it's intellectually honest."'
Its reach didn't stand in its entirety, however. Oregon legislators banned child pornography in 1995, on the basis that it encouraged crimes against children, and the state Supreme Court outlined similar reasoning in 1996 with Justice W. Michael Gillette writing for the majority that the "state's authority to forbid direct harm to children includes the authority to destroy the incentives for causing that harm."
Two attempts to reverse the ruling outright failed, though, including in 1996, when Oregon voters rejected Measure 31. That ballot initiative would have imposed the more restrictive free-speech standards of the U.S. Constitution. Gov. Vic Atiyeh, a Republican, appointed Peterson to the Supreme Court to fill a vacancy in 1979. The Wisconsin-born and University of Oregon-educated lawyer served as chief justice from 1983 to 1991 and retired from the court in 1993.
A black-and-white photo shows Oregon Supreme Court Justice Edwin J. Peterson in 1980, soon after he was appointed to the court by then-Gov. Vic Atiyeh. Peterson later became chief justice. Oregon Supreme Court Justice Edwin J. Peterson is pictured in 1980, soon after he was appointed to the court by then-Gov. Vic Atiyeh. Peterson later became chief justice.Oregonian file photo
During Peterson's time leading the court, he also completed the unglamorous task - assigned by state lawmakers - of unifying the courts in Oregon's 36 counties in a single judicial department, overseen by the chief justice.
Near retirement, Peterson served on a task force that in 1994 identified racial bias in the state court system. It was the first official admission by the state's legal establishment of bias in the courts, a problem that Oregonians of color had decried for years. "I don't say there are judges who are intentionally biased against minorities,'' Peterson said, "but there's a lot of unintended bias that becomes manifested in many ways."
In recent years, Peterson was a distinguished jurist in residence and mentor at Willamette University College of Law and a chess coach at Faye Wright Elementary School in Salem. He also played French horn in the Salem Pops Orchestra, according to the Oregon Judicial Department.
He is survived by his wife, Anna M. Peterson, of Salem, and two grown children. A public service is planned for January 2024.
Virginia Furtwangler, Ph.D.
Virginia W. Furtwangler, a prize-winning author, inspiring teacher, devoted mother, and delightful companion, died on January 1, 2024, at the age of 91. She came to Salem in 1996 as the first Hallie Ford Professor of English at Willamette University, a 
Ginny was born in Hartford, Connecticut to William and Agnes Walsh, grew up in Waterbury, and attended Catholic schools there. Her father died when she was 13, and she made it through her teens with the support of her resilient mother and brother, Walsh relatives, and close neighbors.
She was active and popular at the College of New Rochelle, a Catholic women’s college in New York, and was elected president of her class and later of the entire student body. She was by turns a popular, diligent student and an independent spirit. A cadet once escorted her to a dance at nearby West Point—and a dean later scolded her for leading a conga line at a dance back on her own campus. She wrote the musical score for a student show. She led classmates down Fifth Avenue on Saint Patrick’s Day in 1954 and was stopped for a brief TV interview. The announcer boldly kissed her as a “pretty Irish colleen” and asked what her plans were after graduation. She replied that she was committed to enter the Ursuline religious order, which she did that July.
As Sister John Bernard (names of two admired saints) she completed an M.A. in English at Catholic University, then taught in Ursuline high schools in Maryland and the Bronx and in college back at New Rochelle. In 1966 she was directed to start graduate work in English literature at Cornell University; with the support of a national Kent Fellowship she completed her Ph.D. in 1970.
She left the Ursuline order in 1967. Later that year she began study sessions with Albert Furtwangler, a fellow graduate student. They struck up a playful conversation that would continue and deepen for over 56 years. They married when he finished his degree, and moved together to Chicago and then to the small college town of Sackville, New Brunswick, Canada, as Al pursued his teaching career. In Sackville, Ginny and Al raised two sons and built a community of friends that endures to this day. A devoted mother, Ginny searched out special instruction and opportunities for each of her sons.
Meanwhile, she taught extension courses and began to write short stories under the pen name Ann Copeland. She eventually published six collections of stories. The Golden Thread was a finalist for the Governor-General’s Award, Canada’s top literary prize, in 1989. She also wrote The ABCs of Writing Fiction. Her books led to short-term appointments as a teacher and writer-in-residence at colleges across Canada and the US, notably at the University of Idaho, Linfield College, and the Portland State summer program in Cannon Beach.
Ginny also sustained a lifelong love of music. She led choirs in her convent years, later studied organ and jazz improvisation, served as church organist in Sackville, and played four-hand piano with partners in both Sackville and Salem. In recent years, she hosted Monday practice sessions with fellow musicians, and she and Al opened their house to neighbors who came to listen. She and Al attended concerts and opera series in Salem, Portland, Seattle, New York, and Santa Fe. They also took social dance lessons and in the Sackville years brought the boys to an annual dance camp.
Through shared interests, good conversation, music, and her fondness for hosting gatherings, Ginny built close friendships in every season of her long, rich, and multifaceted life. And with friends far afield, Ginny always kept in touch. She corresponded, she called, she looked people up on her travels. And many an old classmate, neighbor, student, and colleague reciprocated, coming long distances to visit and catch up. At their 60th class reunion this year, students from 1959 remembered her as a teacher who changed their lives—and wrote to tell her so.
Survivors include her husband Albert, sons Tom and Andrew, and granddaughter Claire.
A Mass of Christian Hope is scheduled for Saturday, February 17 at 10:30 at Queen of Peace Catholic Church, 4227 Lone Oak Road SE, Salem, followed by a reception. Suggested donations include The Music Lessons Project; Camerata Musica; and Oregon Symphony in Salem.
The family thanks Windsong Memory Care for Ginny’s special care during her final months.
Bishop Calvin D. McConnell
December 3, 1928-November 28, 2023
The Council of Bishops announced the death of Bishop Calvin D. McConnell, a retired bishop of The United Methodist Church, having served from 1980-1996. Bishop McConnell was born in Monte Vista, Colorado on December 3, 1928. He died on November 28, 2023 at Willamette View Retirement Community in Portland, Oregon where he and his wife Velma resided since 2002. Bishop McConnell earned degrees from the University of Denver and the Iliff School of Theology, later culminating in a Masters in Sacred Theology from Andover Newton Theological School in 1967. He later served in Williams, CA, and later as minister to youth at First United Methodist Church in Palo Alto and as Director of the Wesley Foundation at Stanford University. Subsequently, he transferred to the Oregon-Idaho Conference, serving as University Chaplain and Assistant Professor of Religion at Willamette University, before returning to his home conference and serving churches in Denver, Boulder, and Colorado Springs. The Western Jurisdiction elected Calvin McConnell to the episcopacy in 1980 and assigned him to the Portland Area. In 1988 he was assigned to the Seattle Area. In his active episcopacy he served as President of The Upper Room, and was on the organizing Advisory Board of the Academy for Spiritual Formation, and a member of the editorial board of WEAVINGS: A Journal of the Christian Spiritual Life. Bishop McConnell is past President of the General Commission on Religion and Race, and of the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry. He served as a trustee of Willamette University, the University of Puget Sound and the Iliff School of Theology. He loved his life in the church and leaves a legacy of faith, compassion, and advocacy for social justice. Bishop McConnell was an insightful and compassionate leader, an engaging speaker, and a friend and mentor to many. He is survived by his wife Velma, their sons, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and his brother, Taylor McConnell. A copy of Bishop McConnell's obituary can be found online. Gifts in honor of Bishop McConnell may be given to the Calvin McConnell Scholarship Fund at Iliff School of Theology, 2323 E Iliff Ave, Denver, Colorado, 80210. Iliff’s donation website is http://weblink.donorperfect.com/iliffgiving. A memorial service will be held at Portland First United Methodist Church, 1828 SW Jefferson Street, Portland, OR 97201 on Saturday, January 20, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time.
Peter Simensky 
With a heavy heart we share the news of the passing of Peter Simensky, beloved former chair of PNCA's MFA in Visual Studies. Peter was a long time faculty member and leader in the Visual Studies program founding, and a luminary in the local contemporary arts scene in Portland for many years. He was personally very close with many former and current PNCA faculty. Most recently, Peter served as associate professor and chair of the Graduate Fine Arts program at the California College of Arts in San Francisco. Those who worked closely with Peter have always been deeply impressed with his commitment to teaching and his evolving pedagogies. A guiding light in his field, Simensky was not merely an educator but a brilliant artist, infusing his work with the essence of radio as a medium for play and exploration. During his career, Peter received a variety of prestigious awards including a Warhol Foundation Precipice Grant, a New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship, and residencies at MacDowell Colony and Skowhegan. His full obituary can be found online. Peter Simensky’s memory will continue to inspire and resonate in the hearts of all who know him.
Dr. Roger P. Hull
Nov. 30, 1943 – Oct. 5, 2023
He and his wife Bonnie moved to Salem in 1970, and he began his teaching career at Willamette that fall. Over time, he taught courses in Renaissance art and architecture, European modern art, and American art, architecture, and photography. He and a colleague led post-session study programs in Italy. He received several teaching awards and was named Oregon Professor of the Year in 1993 by the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education.
His early scholarship focused on American photography, and he was the recipient of the Logan Award for New Writing in Photography for his essay “Emplacement, Displacement, and the Fate of Photographs” (1989). With the advent of the Hallie Ford Museum, his scholarship shifted to Pacific Northwest art history; he authored eleven monographs on Oregon artists, including Carl Hall, Charles Heaney, George Johanson BFA'50, Louis Bunce, and Lucinda Parker BFA'66, all published in conjunction with exhibitions that he organized, and numerous exhibition brochures.
He received an Oregon Governor’s Arts Award in 1999 and an Honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts degree from Willamette in 2022. Roger Piatt Hull was born Nov. 30, 1943, in Lebanon, Tennessee, the son of Piatt Hull, an attorney, and Fanny Black Hull, a legal secretary, business owner, and homemaker. During World War II, Roger and his mother lived in her hometown of Salamanca, New York, and in 1949 the family moved to his father’s hometown of Wallace, Idaho. Roger grew up there, graduating from Wallace High School in 1962. He graduated from Whitman College in 1966 with a degree in English and earned Master’s and Ph.D. degrees in art history at Northwestern University (1967 and 1970 respectively).
At Northwestern, he met Bonnie Decker, and they were married in 1969 in Wilmette, Illinois. In Salem, their son Zachary was born in 1973. Hull was active in civic affairs, serving on the boards of the Northeast Neighbors neighborhood association, Mission Mill (now Willamette Heritage Center), and on the Salem Landmarks Commission. He assisted his wife in preparing the document nominating the Court-Chemeketa Residential Historic District to the National Register of Historic Places, where it was listed in 1987.
Hull is survived by his wife, son, daughter-in-law Ashton, grandchildren Sidney and Vivien, and one brother and three sisters and their spouses and children. No services are planned, but memorial donations may be made to the Roger Hull Scholarship Fund at Willamette University, the Hallie Ford Museum of Art publication fund, or the Marion-Polk Food Share.
Image: George Johanson (American, 1982-2022), "Portrait of Roger Hull," 2010, acrylic on canvas, 59 x 43.5 in., collection of the Hallie Ford Museum of Art, Willamette University, Maribeth Collins Art Acquisition Fund, 2010.010.
Prof. Grant O. Thorsett, Ph.D.
Jan. 25, 1940 – Oct. 4, 2023
Grant Thorsett, long-time professor of biology at Willamette and father of President Steve Thorsett, died on October 4 after a long illness resulting from an accident in 2020.
Born in Shelton, Washington, in 1940, Grant was the first in his family to attend college, at
Washington State University, where he met and married Karen, his wife of more than sixty years. As he was finishing graduate studies at Yale, he was recruited by Willamette President G. Herbert Smith in 1967 during a meeting at Penn Station in New York. He never visited campus or met his departmental colleagues before signing his contract, but he never doubted his decision, remaining until his retirement in 2008.
His service to the university was broad. He was on the committee that purchased Willamette’s first computer and on the small task force that successfully brought Phi Beta Kappa to Willamette. He was biology department chair for 14 years. Proud of the younger faculty colleagues he helped hire, and of his work on the Faculty Council, including as its chair, supporting faculty development, he loved dressing in his regalia and leading faculty processions as the University Marshal, including at his son’s inauguration ceremony.
Grant’s primary passion, though, was for Willamette’s students. He taught thousands and mentored many over the years, and served as the university’s premedical advisor for much of his career. He had a remarkable memory for even his earliest students and, sometimes to their chagrin, the grades they had earned, and he kept track of them in their post-Willamette lives. As the first molecular biologist hired at Willamette, he took a special interest in curricular and laboratory modernization and worked closely on the design of Olin Hall. He also enjoyed co-leading interdisciplinary student trips to Hawaii and attending student performances and events. He had season Bearcat Football tickets for more than a half-century and attended most home games. He, Karen, and his family have established the Grant and Karen Thorsett Endowed Scholarship Fund in biology, to support future generations of Willamette students.
A lover of the outdoors, Grant traveled extensively with Karen, their three sons, Stephen, David (now an orthopedic surgeon), and Jeffrey (a brewer and restaurant owner), and other members of his family. He visited all fifty states and a great many national parks, and in his retirement was able to travel in Europe and visit his great-grandparent’s farm in Norway. Most of all, he enjoyed backpacking and canoeing remote wilderness areas in the Northwest; he and Karen spent their fiftieth wedding anniversary on the shore of the Arctic Sea after rafting the Hulahula River through the Brooks Range of Alaska.
In addition to his wife and sons, Grant is survived by five grandchildren and by many members of a far-flung extended family bound together in no small part by his own outgoing nature. These include at least three Willamette alumni: his sister-in-law Kristi Ronningen BME'89 and nephews Patrick Smith BS'99 and Joshua Smith BA'03. He will be remembered by many and missed. The family asks that any gifts in his memory be made to the Thorsett Endowed Scholarship at Willamette. No service is planned.
Dr. Raymond "Skip" Kenitzer, Jr.
April 16, 1948 – Sept. 25, 2023
On September 25, 2023, Skip passed away at 75 years of age in his home in Salem, Oregon. Skip is survived by Jan, his wife of 52 years, his sons Jason Kenitzer and Matthew (Shea) Kenitzer. He was a proud PopPop to five grandchildren, Paisley, Kaiser, Ada Jovi, and Olive. He is further survived by other amazing family and friends.
Skip was preceded in death by his parents, Raymond Frederick Kenitzer, Sr. and Pauline Kenitzer, sisters, Sally Smith and JoAnne Manion.
Skip was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, graduated from Shorewood High School, and went on to St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota. He was a lifeguard in Milwaukee during the summers and upon graduating from St. Olaf, he landed his first teaching position in Bloomington, MN where he met Jan. His love for teaching and coaching gave him the desire to further his education receiving a Masters and a Doctoral Degree at the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, Colorado. He went on to teach at the college level, with his most recent positions at Willamette University as professor, swim coach, and associate athletic director where he semi-retired in 2011, then became adjunct professor at Corban University until 2017. Skip absolutely loved teaching and enjoyed his students and his swimmers which he affectionately called “his kids” even as they became adults with children of their own.
Skip will be remembered for his strong faith in our Lord, Jesus Christ, his deep love of family, attending events for his grandchildren, his great sense of humor, his love of teaching and coaching, and showing his utmost respect with a warm “thank you” to those who serve our country. He heard many heartwarming stories and made new friends along the way.
Skip’s favorite quote that he learned from his Father was “It’s nice to be important, but it’s more important to be nice”. He definitely lived up to that which his Father taught him.
Skip will be deeply missed by his family, friends, and many whose lives he touched. He will forever remain in our hearts.
Please be kind, gentle, respectful, and patient with each other. If you are able, please support, educate, and recognize: the American Heart Association, American Diabetes Association, Dementia Society of America, and The American Cancer Society.
Celebration of Life Plans:
Saturday, August 3, 2024
2:00 - 4:00 pm
Cone Chapel, 2nd floor of Waller Hall, on the Willamette University campus in Salem Oregon.
If you would like to share a memory of Skip, please let the family know so that they can plan via the Alumni office at alumni@willamette.edu.
Sunday, August 4, 2024 (Provided by Jan)
This is tentative right now, but we are thinking about doing a “Paddle Out”. Why? Because Skip loved the water and always felt comfort and at peace in the water, any body of water, or just being near it.
Location: Pacific City, Oregon Coast, a little over 50 miles from Salem.
Time TBD closer to August and announced at the service on Saturday.
Dr. Norman J. Hudak
Jan. 24, 1933 – March 10, 2023
Born in Lorain, Ohio, Norman J. Hudak graduated with high distinction from DePauw University and earned a Ph. D. from Cornell University in 1959. He taught at Oberlin College and Haverford College before coming to Willamette University in 1961. At Willamette he taught organic chemistry for 37 years before retiring in 1998. He was a founding member of the Willamette University chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. He was a member of the American Chemical Society and of Sigma Xi, the scientific research society. He was proud of his Slovak heritage and was a member of the First Catholic Slovak Union. He was a founding member of Queen of Peace parish where he had served as Chair of the Education Commission and as President of the Parish Council. After his retirement, he and his wife Mary Jo moved to Capital Manor Retirement community where he enjoyed his life there where they made many long-lasting friendships.
A devoted and loving husband, father and grandfather, he is survived by his wife, Mary Jo, whom he married in 1963; daughters Lisa (Chuck) Martin, Salem, Ann (Tony) Echavia, Pleasanton, California, and Carol (Gregg) Young, Novato, California; brother Gregory (Sue) Hudak, Austin, Texas and grandchildren Katie, Michael and Christina Echavia, and Samantha Young.
George S. McCowen, Jr.
Jan. 22, 1935 – Dec. 15, 2022
George S. McCowen, Jr. died peacefully on December 15, 2022, with his family around him. He was born January 22, 1935, in Macon, Georgia, the child of Doris Horne McCowen and George Smith McCowen. George grew up in Macon until he attended the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee. There, he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa and received his BA degree in 1957. He studied at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia where he earned his Ph.D. in history, with related studies in philosophy and literature, in 1966.
Professor McCowen taught history at Willamette University in Salem, OR for thirty-three years, following five years of teaching at Wofford College in Spartanburg, S.C. At Willamette, he served as chair of the history department and later in an endowed chair as the E. Jerry Whipple Professor of History. George’s field of expertise was Early American history and American intellectual history. He retired in 2000 and later moved to Gresham, Oregon.
George married Gail Elizabeth Boden of Seattle, Washington on June 23, 1962. Celebrating 60 years of marriage in 2022, they were best friends and a daily joy to one another. They had two children: Duncan Green McCowen, who died in 2011, and Cecily Elizabeth Gray. Their grandchildren are Mallory, Caden, and Lucy McCowen, and Erin and Tommy Gray.
George especially enjoyed reading, gardening, and traveling. He was a very gentle and caring man who did not speak unkindly of anyone. He is survived by his wife Gail, Cecily and Michael Gray, daughter-in-law Holly McCowen, and his grandchildren. He will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him. A memorial service is planned for late January.
Bruce A. Bigler
Oct. 1, 1934 – Jan. 24, 2022
Bruce Bigler was born in Akron, Ohio. He was enlisted in the US Navy from 1953-1973 where he retired as a Master Chief. After moving back to Salem, Bigler worked as a physical plant manager for The State of Oregon and then worked for Willamette University until he retired in 1989. Bruce loved fishing, camping, gardening, church and his family. He is survived by his wife, Monnaa; and his children, Becky Flores, Wendy Kihm, and Stephen Bigler.
Nona Pyron
1933 – 2021
Pyron studied at Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester, and the Staatliche Hochschule für Musik in Munich, receiving a masters degree and doctorate in cello performance from the University of Southern California. She served on the music faculty at Willamette University in Salem, Oregon, in addition to being a member of the Portland Symphony for two and a half years. Pyron was a leading researcher of the early history of the cello. Her research took her to museums and libraries across Europe. Nona is survived by her adopted grandson, Erik Rodkey, and his family; and by Zandra Hanson’s daughters, Suzy Staulz and Nancy Scott; her adopted granddaughter, Larissa Fedoryka; cousin Marc Turner.
George Marc Choate
Oct. 7, 1939 – Sept. 11, 2020
G. Marc Choate was born in Seattle. He earned his bachelor's, master's and a doctor of philosophy degree from the University of Washington before going on to a career as an educator. In 1974, he began teaching at the then-new Atkinson Graduate School of Management at Willamette and served the school as a faculty member for 30 years, retiring in 2004. As Emeritus Professor of Finance and Business Economics, his research and teaching focused on healthcare financial management. Survivors include his wife, Dulce Virata-Choate MM’79; children, Carrie, Casey and Martha (Choate) Monson ’07; and siblings, Doug and Mari Edith.
Staff
Jerry Hudson, former Willamette President
1938 - March 2024
Jerry led Willamette for 17 years, from 1980 to 1997, longer than any other president except for G. Herbert Smith and Carl Doney. Arriving at a time of significant financial challenges, he shepherded the development of Willamette from regional to national prominence. It was under his leadership that Willamette was awarded a chapter of the academic honorary society Phi Beta Kappa (a goal that had eluded President Smith), and during his tenure that the relationship with Tokyo International University blossomed into its current form. Most of all, Jerry will be remembered for his physical transformation of the campus, including the beautiful re-imagining of the Mill Race, the construction of the Hatfield Library and the Olin Science Center, and the plans for the Hallie Ford Museum of Art and for the Rogers Music Center, which is today home to his namesake Hudson Hall.
Jerry Hudson was born in Tennessee in 1938 and graduated from Lipscomb University before earning a PhD in American history from Tulane. He was a faculty member and provost at Pepperdine and then president at Hamline before coming to Willamette. After retiring from Willamette, he served as executive vice president for the Collins Foundation and chairman of the board at the Oregon Historical Society, as well as interim president at Marylhurst University.
"The personal attribute I most often hear ascribed to Jerry is “kind,” and his smile and sense of humor were ever present. I certainly found that to still be true as I got to know him in the first years of my own presidency. Even a quarter century later, his leadership echoes in many ways at Willamette, not least in the standard of excellence he sought to uphold, and in the culture of service that was exemplified in his own life. Our thoughts are with his wife Ann, his family including his daughter Judith Matarazzo JD'84 and grandson Harrison Matarazzo BA'15, and his many friends. May his memory continue to be a blessing," said President Steve Thorsett.
Donna McElroy
1947- December 18, 2023
Notice was received from Steve Maser, Atkinson School Professor Emeritus of Public Management, that his wife, Donna, passed away peacefully on Monday, December 18, 2023. Donna holds a special place within the Atkinson School. Many faculty members remember her incomparable kindness. She also made exceptional contributions to Willamette University as a longtime member of the student affairs staff and a specialist in serving and supporting Willamette's international students. We extend condolences to Steve and their daughter Lindsay who publicly shared the following words: "Donna did not want a memorial service, but wanted a space for people to share stories and memories with each other. This is that space. (In lieu of flowers or gifts, please donate to Care Partners of Oregon, End of Life Choices Oregon, Oregon Food Bank, or your favorite nonprofit.) Donna always created community through the meals she prepared and the tables she set, the joyous celebrations, where she brought us together to laugh and share. In this space, she continues doing that. People from different areas of Donna's life didn't always meet one another and she wished they would have. Through this space, she wanted people to have an opportunity to read how others came to know her, what they valued about her and why. We'd love for you to share your memories and read others', so we can all relive the fun, good food, and good company Donna provided and be reminded of what was central to Donna’s life and the source of her joy: community. Thank you." Cards and notes of sympathy may be sent to Steve and Lindsey at 1111 NW Irving Street, Portland, OR 97209
Carol Jeanne Corner
July 16, 1928- November 1, 2023
Carol Corner passed away on November 1, 2023. She died peacefully surrounded by family. Carol was former support staff in Willamette's Office of Admission. Carol was mother-in-law to Sue Corner and kin to more than twenty WU alumni. She was a very popular colleague who served the university diligently and effectively. Her full obituary can be found here. Carol's life was filled with great joy and deep sorrow, and she navigated it all with exemplary grace, stalwart faith, and tremendous strength. She was admired by all who knew her. She is survived by son Steve Corner, daughter Diane Corner, son Jeff and daughter-in-law Sue Corner, and her nine beautiful grandchildren. A memorial service was held on Friday, December 29, 2023 at First Congregational UCC Church, 700 Marion St. NE, Salem, OR 97301. Interment will be 11 am, Monday, June 10, 2024 at Los Gatos Memorial Park, 2255 Los Gatos Almaden Rd., San Jose, CA 95124
Frances Jean Whipple
Jan. 14, 1926 – March 1, 2023
A graduate of Oakland High School and Oregon State University with a degree in home economics, she and her future husband, Jerry, taught high school together at Springfield High School in Oregon. They were married in 1949, until his death in 1991. Together they raised three children, contributed immeasurably to their Salem community, and shared their love and wise counsel with countless students attending Willamette University.
She is survived by her children, Ed BA'74 and Cindy Whipple, Joan BS'75 JD'79 and Dennis BS'72 JD'79 Reese and Sue and Roger Hefty; her nieces, Carol Whipple and Meredith Compton; her grandchildren, Luke JD'07 and Kelsey Reese, Scott Reese and Jessie Stroud, Sara Hefty, Joanna and Noah Libby, John and Katelyn Whipple; and her great-grandchildren, Cooper and Caroline Reese and Parker and Clay Libby. She also leaves behind numerous other nieces and nephews, great nieces and nephews, great-great nieces and nephews and cousins too numerous to count. Jean lived a long, full, and meaningful life.
Barbara Columbus
May 13, 1930 – Feb. 14, 2022
Following graduation from Cleveland High School, Barbara attended Fairmont Casements School for Young Women in Ormond Beach, Florida, and married John (Jack) Columbus on Sept. 15, 1951. The couple raised sons John Jr., Ronald and David in Longmeadow, Massachusetts, before moving to Salem, Oregon, in 1978 to pursue their dream of living on the West Coast.
Following Jack’s death in 1989, Barbara enjoyed a career in food service at Willamette University’s Goudy Commons, where she ran the salad bar and befriended many students, staff, and elected officials from the nearby Oregon State Capitol.
She is survived by her sons John (Clare) and David Columbus; granddaughter Jenn Columbus (Alex Paraskevas); and grandson Michael Columbus. She was preceded in death by husband Jack; son Ron Columbus; and daughter in-law Linda Columbus.
Janene J. Allman
Oct. 20, 1942 – Oct. 9, 2022
Janene was the WU cashier for about 30 years and affectionately called "The Candy Lady in Waller Hall". She served on the Classified Council as an officer, and organized and oversaw the project for The Gala of Trees that supports the Boys and Girls Aid Society in Salem. Janene created numerous centerpieces for monthly WU employee luncheons and events over many years. Many fondly referred to Janene as "The Candy Lady in Waller Hall" because she always had candy at her cashier's window. Some came for the candy, many others loved taking the opportunity to chat. She cheerfully gave her time with a huge smile and a warm heart. Janene was always eager to serve and was chosen WU Employee of the Year in 2000.
Janene is survived by her husband of 60 years, Russ Allman; two sons, Scott and Jeff ('98); and a granddaughter, Mia.