Peter Courtney remembered fondly by colleagues

Many colleagues and well-wishers expressed their respects and deep tributes to former Oregon Senate President Peter Courtney, who died July 16 from complications due to cancer. He was 81.

Courtney served for nearly a quarter of a century as the state senator of District 11, which included Woodburn and much of the surrounding area. He spent 20 years as the senate president, and he was the longest serving lawmaker in Oregon history.

An Oregon Public Broadcasting report said Courtney’s “booming oratories and one-of-a-kind style made him a Salem legend,” and further described him as a “wily and sometimes dour Democrat who rose to the peak of legislative power.”

Most recently the Oregon Health Authority was directed to name the state hospital facility in Salem the Peter Courtney Salem Campus of the Oregon State Hospital, honoring the legislator’s advocacy and strides made toward mental health issues and state hospital funding.

Other facilities bearing Courtney’s name include a recreational bridge in Salem, a housing complex and Western Oregon University’s Peter Courtney Health and Wellness Center. He previously taught speech at WOU and served as a university administrator.

“(Senate) President Courtney was a friend and ally in supporting an Oregon where everyone can find success and community,” Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek said. “His life story, the way he embraced Oregon and public service, and his love for the institution of the Oregon Legislature leaves a legacy that will live on for decades.

“He led through times of prosperity and times of struggle – including the great recession and the COVID-19 pandemic – with a steadfast commitment to protecting people and making their lives better. His tenure in the legislature is marked by incredible triumphs, earned through his genuine statesmanship and enormous heart.

“I want to recognize President Courtney for being one of the most important architects of our state in recent memory. At his core, Peter believed that we need to take care of each other, live with compassion for our neighbors, and get big things done, together. These Oregon values will live on in his name.”

House Speaker Julie Fahey (D-Eugene) shared: “Peter Courtney set the standard for what it means to be a true champion for the state of Oregon and its people. His passion for our state was clear no matter where he was or what office he served in – as a Salem City Councillor, as a member of the Oregon House, or as Senate President.

“In the legislature, we came to know Peter as someone who worked to do the most good for as many people as possible. Among his accomplishments include passing the Student Success Act that increased funding for K-12 education in Oregon, modernizing the legislature to meet more regularly, and beginning the legislature's needed investments in mental health.

“Peter cared deeply for the state of Oregon and for the city of Salem that he represented. He also cared deeply for the legislature as an institution and as a cornerstone of our democracy. In a time when we’re seeing an erosion of trust in government and in institutions more broadly, my hope is that Peter’s legacy can remind us all of the importance and significance of our work and of coming together to best serve the interests of our constituents.”

Current Senate President Rob Wagner (D-Lake Oswego) called Courtney a “legend – larger than life” in a statement issued Tuesday.

“(Peter Courtney had) a passion for helping Oregonians all across the state, and especially in his beloved city of Salem,” Wagner said.

Courtney also served on the Salem City Council prior to his service as a state lawmaker.

“The sounds of the Capitol were never complete without Peter’s voice reverberating through the halls. He was bold and hard-charging, but also tender and caring, always looking for private moments to help a young lawmaker find their way,” Wagner continued.

“His legacy is typified by his dedication to the humane care of animals and for the well-being of children and those who struggle with mental health. But his legacy is more than policy — it is a spirit of governing that he brought to Oregon.”

Senate Majority Leader Kathleen Taylor (D - SE Portland, Milwaukie & Oak Grove) said Courtney’s contributions to Oregon leave behind a rich, profound legacy benefiting all Oregonians.

“Peter Courtney epitomized the idea of a life lived in public service. He was fiercely devoted to serving his constituents, the institution of the Senate, and Oregon as a whole,” Taylor said. “He will live on in the people and communities he transformed for the better – and I am so lucky to count myself as one of them. For ten years, I was honored to call Peter a mentor and a friend.

“Today, I’m thinking about his wife Margie and their wonderful family. Even with all the pressures of his public life, I know that they were always Peter’s number one priority. His dedication to family was an inspiration to me, and I’m holding my loved ones a little tighter today in his memory.”

Courtney was born June 18, 1943, in Philadelphia, Pa. He lived in Moorestown, New Jersey, West Virginia, Rhode Island, and Virginia before coming to Oregon in 1969.

On Wednesday, July 17, Kotek ordered flags at Oregon public institutions to be flown at half-staff effective immediately until sunset on Thursday, July 18, in memory of the life and service of Courtney.

“President Courtney truly lived by example: he cared deeply for our state, for the people that he worked with, and above all, for his family with vigor, compassion and courage," Kotek said. "It was an honor to serve alongside him and I know his legacy will live on through his many efforts on behalf of Oregonians and in the memory of those who knew him.”

A funeral mass honoring Courtney will be held at St. Mary Catholic Church in Mt. Angel. Donations in remembrance can be made to the Salem Withnell Family YMCA or Family Building Blocks.