Memorial services for former District 4 Commissioner Sharron Kelley will be Saturday, Aug. 3, 2019 from 3 to 5 p.m. in the Sharron Kelley Conference Room at the East County Building in Gresham.
Kelley died July 11, 2019 at her home in East County. Kelley served 11 years on the Board representing east Multnomah County. She left office in 2001 at age 61 after serving the district bounded by 122nd Avenue and the Columbia River Gorge. At the time the neighborhood received a much smaller share of County dollars and attention and she worked to increase both.
“She championed funding for programs for hepatitis C, heroin addiction and child abuse and was a stalwart advocate for the people of Rockwood and East County,’’ Chair Deborah Kafoury said at the July 18 board meeting. “My mother served with her, I knew her and she was a wonderful, wonderful woman.’’
Family members recall that she likened the fight for equal recognition for the LGBTQ community to the civil rights era and was determined to bring her district to what she viewed as the “right side of history.” Granddaughter Nicci Kelley said one of her favorite memories was of Sharron Kelley marching in the Pride parade every year with other Multnomah County employees such as Gretchen Kafoury and she would be yelling “We’re here, We’re Queer, We’re Publicly Employed”.
Kelley worked to turn Oxbow Park and Blue Lake Park over to Metro. Kelley also earned praise for helping obtain more than $625,000 in federal aid for east county residents after a 1996 mudslide in the Columbia River Gorge.
Commissioner Lori Stegmann, who represents Kelley’s East County district, said when Kelley retired, the County declared “Sharron Kelley Big Heart Day in Multnomah County.’’
The proclamation, passed Dec. 21, 2001, declared:
“The County Board of Commissioners finds Commissioner Kelley has “demonstrated an unrelenting passion for people whose behaviors and circumstances are disparaged and misunderstood. Commissioner Kelley has made it her highest priority to educate and empower the community to respond to the needs of people affected by poverty, mental illness, violence, homelessness and addiction.
Commissioner’s Kelley’s dedication to working with the community has produced key partnerships resulting in developments like the Willow Tree Inn for homeless families, the Rockwood neighborhood access clinic and the Crisis Triage Center. Commissioner Kelley has championed the proactive responses to domestic violence and improved treatment options for people affected by substance abuse. Commissioner Kelley’s schedules always had room for one more cause and one more person in need. Commissioner Kelley has shown an unwavering ability to listen to her heart in spite of obstacles and advice to the contrary. This unwavering ability to follow her heart has made a positive and profound impact on the lives of the most vulnerable (residents) of Multnomah County.’’
The proclamation was signed by Chair Beverly Stein, and Commissioners Serena Cruz, Diane Linn and Lisa Naito.
“So, our hats are off to Commissioner Kelley,’’ Commissioner Stegmann said at the July 18 board meeting, “And our hearts are with her family.’’
After Kelley retired, she moved to Lincoln City with her husband, Larry Kelley. She continued to work on County issues including the Rockwood Revitalization Neighborhood project, known as the Weed and Seed project. She also became a Master Gardener, which was her favorite hobby and passion outside of community service. She took those two passions and combined them and with the help of a few others, spearheaded a project to teach Lincoln City kids how to plant, care for and harvest vegetables that then were used for the students’ lunches at the school. “This project gave her a lot of joy and she was proud to have a role in getting kids excited about eating vegetables!” her granddaughter said.
She moved back to Gresham five years ago, her granddaughter said. She battled lung cancer for more than four years, but never spent a day in bed being sick and “was gardening and painting our deck, days before dying. She was pretty amazing.’’
Kelley is survived by two of her four children and three grandchildren. The East County Building is located at 600 N.E. 8th St. in Gresham.