Roger Clarence Germundson
Roger C. Germundson JD ’65 died peacefully on March 7, 2020, surrounded by his loving family. He was 86.
Roger was born May 4, 1933, in Hope, North Dakota, the son of Clarence and Millie Germundson. His father died from cancer December 31, 1939; had he lived just a few hours longer, his widow would have become eligible to receive social security. To make it possible for the family to get by during the Depression, Roger was sent to live with various relatives throughout his childhood. By the time he was 10, he was a regular farm hand and could drive a tractor, weed crops, stack wood, herd sheep, milk cows, and haul manure.
In 1951 Roger joined the U.S. Navy Seabees, specializing in heavy equipment. After serving in Korea and Japan for four years, he made his way to Oregon, where his first job there entailed mechanical work and running a Marion rig that laid riprap in the Willamette River. Roger also worked in construction and insurance before eventually becoming an attorney in 1967. He practiced law in Gresham, Oregon, his entire career.
Roger married Donna Jacobsen and they had four children. He and his second wife, Jackie Collicott, purchased land and a home in Troutdale, Oregon, where they loved hosting their grandchildren for sleepovers, pool parties, camping, and other fun activities. They enjoyed travel and visited destinations all over the United States via motor home. The couple also were very active with the Oregon Old Time Fiddlers for many years. After Jackie’s prolonged illness and subsequent death, Roger met with one of her good friends to pass along some photos. He and Donna Nichols hit it off and spent a few years traveling together before marrying in May of 2019.
Ambition was one of Roger’s hallmarks. Always on the go, he could often be found with a dog at his side. He loved his family, music, and RV camping; made friends easily; and was a mentor to many. Roger did everything with passion and a commitment to success. He was very active in the community and supportive of organizations that made lives better.
Roger is survived by his children Cheryl Terrusa, Carl Germundson, Mary Sellers, and Curt Germundson, and his sister Ranee Svenningsen. He is preceded in death by his sister Janet Stockmoe.