Ronald Blankenbaker Obituary

Ronald M. Blankenbaker

October 26, 1934 - January 29, 2011

SALEM - He was born in Yakima, Wash., Oct. 26, 1934, to Robert and Frances Blankenbaker. In 1942 his family moved to Vancouver, Wash. He attended school in Vancouver, and received an Associate Degree from Clark College. He later attended Eastern Washington University in Cheney, Wash. on a football scholarship.

He served two years in the United States Army and was stationed in Colorado, Texas and California. After his military service he went to work for the Associated Press in Portland. He also worked for The Dalles Chronicle and the Coeur d'Alene Press, in Idaho, before going to work for The Oregon Statesman, now known as the Statesman Journal. He worked for the Statesman Journal for 37-1/2 years, retiring in 1996. That ended a career as the newspaper's first, full-time political columnist for the Statesman Journal. He also hosted a local TV political talk show, The Capitol Report, for several years.

He established a holiday charity, the Pompous Twits, after a reader's letter took Blankenbaker to task for his pomposity. Thus, an annual holiday column was founded, based on levying small fines against politicians found guilty of committing "acts of pomposity" to outrageous to ignore. With the late L.B. Day, a South Salem legislator joining in the program, the men used money raised to help children in dire need at holiday time. The fining of politicians focused on providing food and toys for needy families at Christmas. Pompous politicians were tapped for contributions from throughout the United States, ranging from the lowest of ward-heelers to longtime members of the U.S. Congress. They all chipped in with apparent good cheer.

In 1976, Ron and a team of Statesman reporters received First Prize from the University of Missouri, School of Journalism, for their investigative reporting of the public utility process in Oregon.

But life isn't all work. Ron had a number of hobbies. They included model railroading and woodworking. A scale railroad empire took over the entire basement of Ron's Grant Street NE house. Ron also got the bug for fly-fishing and developed an entirely different set of friends from his home-hobby pursuits.

Survivors include his stepson Steve Sullivan, and his wife, Carleen, grandchildren, Kelsie, triplets, Karsten, Kellen and Kylie, all of Corvallis, brother, James of Vancouver; Wash., sister, Linda Rodin and her husband, David, Ridgefield, Wash.; nieces Trina Luster, Boise, Idaho and Sara Rodin, Ridgefield, Wash., nephew Chet Rodin, Ridgefield, Wash.

Donations in memory of Ron Blankenbaker can be made to: Mayo Clinic, c/o Department of Development, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN 55905.

A celebration of life service will be held Friday, February 4th at 11:00 AM at Virgil T. Golden Funeral Service.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by The Statesman Journal on Feb. 2, 2011.

Memories and Condolences
for Ronald Blankenbaker

4 Entries

Bill Peck

February 8, 2011

Always enjoyed reading Ron's humourous and insightful opinions....RIP.

Barb Cross

February 6, 2011

I forgot to sign my name and my parents Gene & Evelyn Hoxsey.

February 5, 2011

I had the pleasure of meeting Ron just after he moved to Sublimity and had just lost his wife. He was good friends with my Mom and the other residents at Sloper. Mom took him cookies and liked it when Ron joined the small group during the sing-a-long. His friends shared his loss of his little dog shortly after his wife died. Ron was so admired by his friends and they watched after each other. He was a thoughtful journalist and I was impressed that he remembered my Dad's letters-to-the editor. He was a nice guy.

Richard Sly

February 2, 2011

It was a sad day 1996 when Ron Blankenbaker retired from the Statesman Journal. How well we enjoyed his view of the Salem scene, Oregon politics and the pleasure of his interests. His voice was candid and smart. I remember his thinking about Oregon venturing into a statewide lottery "...a tax on stupidity..." Ron's prose included a story about the death of his longtime pet Dachshund - he was able to evoke reflective thoughts and emotions. He was described as a curmudgeon - maybe one of these is needed on every editorial page. I'm not sure how a newsroom is organized - but Ron must have been the soul of the paper. Possibly the SJ could assemble a book with a collection of his columns and pictures 'in the day' - Rest in peace Ron.

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