Jonathan Drew Emerson – 1944-2012

Jonathan Drew Emerson – 1944-2012

We celebrate a life lived in multiple chapters, one that touched many, and left an impression on on everyone.

Jon was born in 1944 in New York City, and lived at various times in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Menlo Park, California, and Portland, Oregon.

Filmmaker. Writer. Photographer. Social worker. Father. Brother. Husband. Friend. The list of words are many. Too many for one person to possibly describe.

That’s why this is just the start of Jon’s story. And we need your help to fill in the details. Let us know how Jon touched your life, where you crossed paths, and how his memory will always endure. Help us complete the story of a remarkable man.

Share the story of how Jon touched you by adding a comment here or click the Share link above.

Jon loved public radio. For those wishing to express their sympathies with a gift, please donate to Oregon Public Broadcasting, or to the public radio station of your choice.

(We cite Jon on this web site for his long service to our community through counseling alcoholics and addicts, and for administrating alcohol and drug treatment programs.)

READ – Remembering Jon

Phillip D. Chadsey, Sr., 75 July 23, 1936 Oct. 11, 2011 Phil was born in Klamath Falls to Milton Everett and Mildred Duke Chadsey. He attended public schools in Salem and graduated from the University of Oregon. After graduation, he received a commission as a lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force. Phil spent the next 4.5 years on active duty stationed at bases in New Jersey, Casablanca, Morocco and Chateauroux, France.

In 1961 while in Casablanca, he met his future wife and the love of his life, Helen Van Dyke, a schoolteacher from Michigan. They were married the following year in Gibraltar on their way to Phil’s final duty station in France.

After his release from the Air Force, they returned to Salem, where Phil attended law school at Willamette University. During his last year of law school Phil and Helen’s first child, “Duke” was born. The following year their daughter, Dana was born, followed two years later by their son, Jeff.

After graduation from law school in 1966, Phil joined Stoel Rives LLP, Oregon’s largest law firm. There he practiced law for 38 years until he retired in 2004. For several years he headed the firm’s litigation department and was honored one year by the Portland Legal Secretaries Association as their “Boss of the Year.” For many years he was listed in “America’s Best Lawyers.”

In 1985, he was elected a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and served as its state chairman. He served as chair of both the Oregon State Board of Bar Examiners and the Oregon Judicial Fitness Commission, was a member of the Board of Governors of the Oregon State Bar and served on Willamette Law School’s Board of Visitors.

Phil was also active in matters outside of the legal profession. He served as Moderator (chair) of the Board of Trustees of the First Unitarian Church. His major civic interest was in the area of mental health. He served as president of the Morrison Center and as president of both the Multnomah and Oregon affiliates of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).

During the first Kitzhaber administration, he served on the Governor’s Task Force to Realign the Mental Health System. For many years he was chair of NAMI’s legislative committee. What he considered his greatest civic achievement was leading NAMI’s efforts, during five legislative sessions, to try to convince the legislature to pass a law that would require health insurers to provide the same coverage benefits for mental illness as for physical disorders. NAMI was successful in 2007, when Oregon enacted the most comprehensive parity law in the nation.

Beginning with their days in Morocco, Phil and Helen liked to travel, and they visited more than 50 countries. He also loved to read, cook, take pictures and hike in the Cascades near the vacation home in Central Oregon he and Helen built more than 30 years ago, where they spent much of their time after he retired. But what Phil liked most was spending time with his family: his loving wife; daughter, Dana, her husband, Jon Eaton and their sons, Jack and David; and sons, Jeff and Duke and his daughters, Gabriella and Daniella, whose mother, Stefania died in April 2011. Remembrances may be sent to NAMI-Oregon or the Knight Cancer Center at OHSU.

Pamela R. (Pallin) Chassé – age 74, born May 25, 1937, died October 24, 2011

Pamela was born to Edgar and Dorena (Brands) Pallin. She grew up in Tillamook, Ore., and attended school there from first grade through high school. Pamela had many great adventures growing up, and made important bonds that she kept throughout her life. She enjoyed many reunions in her home town for Tillamook High School and other groups. After attending Willamette University, Pamela worked in Portland for Ma Bell and a printing company. During that time, Kathy was born to Pamela and Wayne Gibbens.

Pamela was a single mother during much of Kathy’s childhood, and she worked hard at it doing it well. She enjoyed raising Kathy, being an unofficial den mother for Kathy and her friends, and giving piano lessons for children in their neighborhood. Pamela eventually remarried to Paul Davis, who died just seven years later. Pamela married James “Jim” Chasse Sr. in 1983.

Pamela worked as a maintenance executive secretary at the Crown-Zellerbach/James River West Linn Paper Mill for 30 years. She retired in the early 2000s. She enjoyed her co-workers and found the work challenging and pleasant. Pamela had an active civic and social life. She played organ and piano for various churches she attended. She was involved in various square dance projects, including promoting dances to benefit children’s hospitals, being purchasing manager for a National Square Dance Convention and serving as president (and other positions) for a 1500-person organization.

She and Jim met while taking square dancing lessons in 1983. Pamela enjoyed working with flowers at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral and preparing food for Operation Nightwatch clientele. She also loved attending high school and college basketball tournaments, which led her to travel over most of North America during the past 15 years.

Pamela fought valiantly to keep on with her life after her cancer diagnosis in 2007. While she spent a lot of her personal time adjusting and coping with changes, she continued to live life to the fullest extent she could. Pamela stayed active socially and was an inspiration to many around her for how hard she fought for life and to be with those she loved.

She was particularly happy that she was able to attend her granddaughter Krista’s wedding in July 2011. Pamela’s grandchildren, Krista, Brandon and Claire, added zest to her life, as did her daughter, Kathy Maas; son-in-law, Chris Maas; stepson, Mark Chasse; and daughter-in-law, Becky Chasse. James Jr., Pamela’s card playing stepson, preceded her in death in 2006.

Pamela is also survived by her husband, Jim, who was her steadfast companion, husband and friend. A memorial will be at 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 29, 2011, at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, 147 N.W. 19th Avenue; 503-222-9811. Remembrances may be made to Breast Friends in Tigard, Ore., or to your own favorite charity.

Jim Jim, by Randy Moe - 2011

On October 28, 2006 over 400 people came together to remember the life and death of James Chasse.

You can now listen to that memorial service in its entirety. Speaking are – Patricia Ross of First Congregational Church, John Paul Davis of First Congregational Church, Jim and Pamela Chasse, Linda Gerber (Jim’s mother), Mark Chasse, KT Kincaid, Eva Lake, Steve Doughton, X J Elliott, Mike Lastra, Avel Gordly, Beckie Child, Martin Gonzales, & Jason Renaud.

Jim’s Memorial – Part One
Jim’s Memorial – Part Two

READ – Remembering a gentle soul, pursuing justice, Oregonian, October 23, 2006
LISTEN – Nothing to Fear, a song for Jim Jim, by the Neo Boys – 1979
Neo Boys – Nothing To Fear (For Jim Jim)

The documentary film, Alien Boy: the Death and Life of James Chasse is a direct response to his memorial

Randy Moe: 1979

The Independent is pleased to present a group of poignant punk portraits by Randy Moe.

1979 – by Randy Moe (click through to see the show).

Known for his remarkable drawing skills, Randy Moe, like many of us, is a casual photographer. In the late 70s and early 80s he documented his friends of the burgeoning Punk Rock scene in Portland.

This particular exhibition is sourced from a single roll of Polaroid film all shot in 1979. Of the 12 photographs, 4 of the subjects have passed on – from drugs, from AIDS, from illness and from police brutality. Like the subjects, the portraits possess a rare veracity and authentic feel of the times.

Reception for the artist – First Thursday, November 3, 6 -9 PM.

Gallery Hours: Thursday through Saturday 12 – 6PM and by appointment. The Independent is located at 530 NW 12th, Portland, Oregon.

Robert Edward Kadas was born on September 5, 1962 in Portland. He attended Lincoln High School and later Clark College in Vancouver.

Robert died at his home of natural causes, April 23, 2011.

He is survived by his grandmother, Audrey, and by his mother, Sandra, his brother, Ian and sister, Emily.

Robert loved his family and they adored him.

A memorial reception will be held at 1 p.m. on August 27, 2011, at St. Matthew Episcopal Church, 11229 N.E. Prescott, Portland.

To remember Robert, please make a donation to David’s Harp, 11261 N.E. Knott St., Portland, OR 97220.

Elizabeth Lynn Dunham, May 12, 1961 ~ January 16, 2011

Known for her quick wit and fierce intelligence, she was a generous friend who loved her family, horses and dogs, cooking, and garage sales. In recent years, she was a volunteer with OPB and Forward Stride.

She is survived by her parents, Arlyss and Pamela Dunham; her brother, Mark Dunham of Lake Oswego, her beloved nieces and nephew, Emily, Katherine and Christian Dunham, as well as dear aunties and uncles and more than two dozen wonderful cousins.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated January 29th at a gathering for family and friends.

Charitable donations in Elizabeth’s memory may be made to National Alliance on Mental Illness, 524 NE 52nd Avenue, Portland OR 97213 or Legacy Hopewell House, 6171 SW Capitol Highway, Portland OR 97239.

Leave a message of condolence for Elizabeth’s friends and family.

From the Mollala Pioneer, May 18, 2010

A six-hour police standoff with an armed man off of Highway 213 in Molalla came to an end shortly before 11 p.m. Tuesday after the man shot himself.

Sean David Kennedy, 33, of Canby, allegedly robbed Dave’s Prescription Shop in Canby around 3:50 p.m. and fled the scene, leading Canby and Molalla police officers and Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office deputies on a chase, said Sgt. Det. Frank Schoenfeld of Canby Police Department.

The pursuit started when a Canby police sergeant spotted Kennedy’s rust-colored GMC pickup heading toward Molalla on Macksburg Road, Schoenfeld said. Police cornered Kennedy on Liberal Way, near a private address at 28890 S. Highway 213 in Molalla, the former location of Keegan’s Korner tavern.

Police surrounded Kennedy and he barricaded himself in his pickup, periodically pointing a handgun to his head while popping pills and smoking from a marijuana pipe, said Det. Jim Strovink, public information officer for CCSO.

“He’d have short dialogue with us but just kept putting the gun to his head,” Schoenfeld said.

Police and Oregon Department of Transportation personnel blocked off Highway 213 between Macksburg Road and Barnards Road for the duration of the standoff.

“He was totally contained at all times,” Strovink said. “The community was safe at all times.”

Negotiators worked for hours trying to persuade Kennedy to surrender.

“These guys tried in vain valiantly to reason with this individual,” Strovink said.

At an opportunity when the gun appeared to be out of Kennedy’s hand, CCSO personnel moved in closer to the vehicle and deployed a gas.

“We were trying to tactically remove him from the vehicle,” Strovink said.

But before they could succeed, Kennedy shot himself. A medic on the scene confirmed his death and the medical examiner responded, Strovink said.

OxyContin tablets were scattered around the pickup and Schoenfeld said Kennedy ingested multiple tablets throughout the ordeal. He stole an estimated 40 to 60 tablets from the drugstore.

Dave’s Prescription Shop was also the target of an armed robbery last November, but Kennedy had no connection to that case, Schoenfeld said. In the November case, shop employees recognized the masked robber and he was later arrested, after fleeing with five bottles of OxyContin tablets.

On Tuesday, Kennedy entered the drugstore and demanded OxyContin, telling shop employees that he had a gun but didn’t want to show it, Schoenfeld said.

Reporters contacted the owner of Dave’s Prescription Shop, but he said he was unable to give any information at this time.

READ – Police identify Canby man, 23, who shot himself after robbery, standoff, from The Oregonian, May 18, 2010

Jack Dale Collins – Feb. 20, 1952 – March 22, 2010

Jack Dale Collins - Feb. 20, 1952 – March 22, 2010

Jack Dale Collins, 58, died after being shot by a Portland police officer. The officer involved in his death responded to ‘a call of an unwanted person at the Hoyt Arboretum who was yelling at people.’ The crime scene diagram shows an x-acto knife and four shell casings. His death was ruled a homicide by the medical examiner. No criminal wrong doing was found by the grand jury who heard the case.

Jack, also known as Jackie or Old Man Jackie Collins, lived on the streets of Portland for over twenty years. He was known as a private man who was often on the move. People who knew him for years still knew very little about his life. He was estranged from his family. He was said to be a peaceful individual and to have significant survival skills. He experienced addiction and mental illness and at times engaged in self-harm by cutting.

Jack was liked by those who knew him. He seems to have conducted himself with some grace and dignity. He got through by his habit of staying out of the way. His loss has been felt by many who recognize the injustice of his alienation, struggles, and passing. He is survived by family members in Texas.

A memorial will be held Monday May 17th 4 PM at St Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, 1131 SE Oak, Portland, Oregon. All are welcome.

MAP – St. Francis Church, 1131 SE Oak Street

Donations may be made to the mental health or social service charity of your choice.