[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 108 (Monday, July 13, 2015)]
[House]
[Page H5091]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                              DON FRISBEE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Oregon (Mr. Blumenauer) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BLUMENAUER. Mr. Speaker, this weekend, we will gather in Portland 
to mourn the passing and celebrate the life of Don Frisbee, who died 
June 26 at the age 91.
  Don led an extraordinary life, rising through the company ranks to 
become the chairman and CEO of PacifiCorp, then the major private 
utility in the Pacific Northwest.
  He was a bold and visionary leader of this important company. He was 
a board member of Fortune 500 companies like Weyerhaeuser and First 
Interstate Bank, now Wells Fargo. He was widely regarded as the most 
influential business leader in Oregon for 2 decades.
  Don's influence, though, extended beyond the business space. He was 
also on the board of two prestigious Northwest academic institutions, 
Whitman College in Walla Walla and Reed College in Portland, where he 
played a critical role in the development of that storied institution.
  He helped promote the growth of Portland State University, the Oregon 
Health Science University, and helped guide the Children's Institute.
  Later in his retirement, he worked for 5 years with his daughter-in-
law, Denise Frisbee, on a program throughout the State of Oregon to 
connect people with their public schools.
  He cared deeply about the civic infrastructure, how to encourage and 
empower individuals to make a difference the way that he, himself, had. 
He was instrumental in the creation and growth of the Oregon Leadership 
Forum, which now for 30 years has gathered people from all across 
Oregon on an ongoing, yearlong program to develop leadership capacity 
and commitment to our State. From its founding to his board leadership, 
from participating in the very first year's programming, he was the 
driving force for this unique organization.
  The utility executive was passionate about Oregon's special places. 
He loved the out-of-doors and his own special place, his beloved ranch 
in Sisters, located in a spectacular setting in central Oregon.
  This veteran utility executive didn't think there was a conflict 
between sound, sustainable business practices and protecting the 
environment. During the last conversation I had with Don, he talked 
about how delighted he was with the Pope's encyclical on the 
environment and global warming.
  For all his many accomplishments, his family and friends were central 
in his life, even more so as the years passed. He lost his beloved 
wife, Emily, in 2003, after 56 years of marriage. Together, they built 
a family, a career, and a better community.
  A little at loose ends after losing Emily, later in life, he met, 
wooed, and wed a widow who was his neighbor, Betty Perkins. Together, 
they found extraordinary happiness. They had an amazing effect on 
everyone they met, whether on a cruise, on the 60th reunion of Don's 
class at the Harvard Business School, or just people on the street.
  At a time when most their age would be in rocking chairs, they were 
traveling the world, providing inspiration to all privileged to spend 
time around them. His was an extraordinary life well lived.
  Portland is often regarded as one of America's finest city, listed on 
all the best places. Over the last 50 years, no one made it a better 
place than Don Frisbee.
  Our hearts go out to Don's family; his wife, Betty; and to all of 
those who were touched by this extraordinary man.

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