Victor Calzaretta

Victor A. Calzaretta JD ’82 passed away June 27, 2014, with his family at his side. He was 72.

Victor was born in Chicago on May 8, 1942, to Victor A. Calzaretta Sr. and Lucille Moisant Calzaretta. He later moved to Camas, Washington, before joining the U.S. Army in 1961. Stationed in Germany, he was assigned to the Criminal Investigations Unit. He met his first wife, Heidi, in Germany, and their children—Daniel, Ricky, and Diane—were born there.

In 1968, Victor moved back to Chicago with his family and became a police officer for the Chicago Police Department. The family moved again in 1970, to Vancouver, Washington. Working first as a Clark County deputy, Victor rose to the rank of chief criminal deputy while he earned a BS at City University and pursued graduate studies at the University of Portland. He received master’s degrees in in administration of justice and in education before turning to law school. 

Victor married Anita Huffman Baker in the early 1980s. He practiced law in Portland from 1982 until his retirement in 2012. During his years as a lawyer, he helped many people, particularly in the law enforcement field. Many of his clients became lifelong friends.

In 2010, Victor married Susan Campbell Calzaretta. They spent his retirement years together, traveling to places that were special to him.

Victor is survived by his son Richard; daughter Diane; brothers William, Robert, Rich, and Joseph; sister Patricia; and grandchildren Anthony, Katie, Kylie, Coleby, Thomas, and Alisha. He was preceded in death by his second wife, Anita; his parents, Lucille and Ray Schechla and Victor A. Calzaretta Sr. and Jane Calzaretta; and his son Daniel.