NW Examiner obituaries
Honoring the lives of our neighbors and friends
Rev. Bruce Strade
Died Dec. 2, 2025
Rev. Bruce Strade, a member of Zion Lutheran Church who led a team of parishioners in hosting an Afghan refugee family in 2022, died on Dec. 2, 2025, at age 85. He was born in Milan, Wisc., on Aug. 2, 1940, and graduated from Concordia High School and junior college in Sheboygan, Wisc. He attended Concordia Senior College in Fort Wayne, Ind., and graduated from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis in 1966. He moved to Portland for a position at Concordia Junior College. In 1980, he became director of the Washington County office of Lutheran Family Services, later serving as executive director. After retiring from that agency, he served as executive director of Northwest Parish Nurse Ministries. He married Kathleen Kohl in 1967. He is survived by his wife, Kathleen; his daughters, Stephanie and Stacey; son, Sean; seven grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Joseph Etzel
Died Dec. 28, 2025
Joseph Etzel, who grew up on Slabtown and attended St. Patrick’s Grade School, died on Dec. 28, 2025, at age 87. He was born on June 20, 1938, in Portland. He graduated from Central Catholic High School in 1956 and earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Portland, where he was also an outstanding baseball pitcher. After teaching and coaching at Central Catholic, he began a 21-year tenure as head baseball coach at the university in 1965. From 1970 to 2004, he was also athletic director at UP. He married Judy Kehoe in 1962; she died in 2023. He is survived by his sons, Jim and Tom; daughters, Kathy and Susan; and three grandchildren.
Barbara Hutchison
Died Jan. 1, 2026
Barbara Sue Hutchison, who grew up in Portland Heights, went to Ainsworth Elementary School and graduated from Lincoln High School in 1960, died on Jan. 1 of ovarian cancer at age 83. Barbara Ray was born on July 26, 1942. She graduated from the University of Oregon in 1964. That year, she married Bill Hutchison. Later, she received a master’s degree in education from Lewis & Clark College. She taught junior high school and wrote a textbook on Oregon history. Her claim for maternity leave benefits became a landmark case decided by the U.S. Supreme Court. She was a member of the Multnomah Athletic Club and Waverly Country Club. She is survived by her husband, Bill; daughters Suzi Maddocks, Amie Manske and Lindsey Hutchison Wuepper; and seven grandchildren. A memorial celebration will be held at Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in April.
Mark Miller Jr.
Died Jan. 4, 2026
Mark Peter Miller Jr., who lived most of his life in Portland Heights, died Jan. 4 after a 16-year battle with Parkinson’s disease at age 75. Miller was born in Portland on June 1, 1950, and grew up in Portland Heights. He graduated from Colorado College and Lewis & Clark Law School. He is survived by his wife, Sally; son, Nick; daughters, Amanda and Caroline; sister, Suzanne; and one grandchild.
Diana Stegner
Died Oct. 1, 2025
Diana Stegner, a former substitute teacher at Metropolitan Learning Center and former resident of Portland Heights, died on Oct. 1, 2025, at age 88. Diana Hughes was born on Jan. 21, 1937, in Camas, Wash., and graduated from Camas High School. She graduated from Marylhurst College with a degree in education in 1960. She taught in Portland Public Schools and in Germany. She married Dave Stegner in 1965. She volunteered for the Oregon Symphony Women’s Auxiliary, Parent Teachers Association and Maryhurst College. She is survived by daughter, Dina Guppy; son, Dwight; and two grandchildren. Her husband, David, died in 2024.
Jason Hallman
Died Dec. 2, 2025
Jason Moore Hallman, who grew up in Arlington Heights and graduated from Lincoln High School in 1979, died on Dec. 2, 2025, from complications of cancer at age 64. Hallman was born on July 17, 1961, in Portland, and attended Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa, and the University of Oregon and Mount Hood Community College, where he studied film production. He worked for KPTV and drove delivery trucks for Dave’s Killer Bread and Charlie’s Produce. He is survived by his brothers, Tom Jr. and Garth.
Death notices
Jerry E. Miller, 90, 1952 Lincoln High School graduate
Caroline (Berg) Sturges, 89, 1954 Lincoln High School graduate and West Hills resident
Phyllis Hoppe, 90, 1953 Lincoln High School graduate
Ronald W. Failmezger, 91, 1953 Lincoln High School graduate
Nancy (Neill) Loomis, 82, 1961 Lincoln High School graduate
Patricia (Nunn) Mahone, 98, former Northwest District resident
Lilas (Stewart) Schmidt, 99, 1944 Lincoln High School graduate
Joanne Van Buren, 72, employee of KEEN in the Pearl District
Sharon (Bergreen) Hunt, 84, 1959 Lincoln High School graduate and member of St. Mary’s Cathedral parish
Georgia Schell, 84, active in Portland Garden Club
Sylvia Wheeler, 93, art teacher at Catlin Gabel School 1967-94
The Northwest Examiner publishes obituaries of people who lived, worked or had other substantial connections to our readership area, which includes Northwest Portland, Goose Hollow, Sauvie Island and areas north of Highway 26. If you have information about a death in our area, please contact us at allan@nwexaminer.com. Photographs are also welcomed. There is no charge for obituaries in the Examiner.