Gene Derfler, a longtime state lawmaker who used his woodworking talents in retirement to spread joy in Salem, died Monday, March 16, at age 101.
Oregon Senate Republicans lauded him in a statement Monday as a “generational leader” who led reforms to the state’s workers’ compensation system.
Representatives of Capital Manor, where he lived, confirmed Derfler’s death.
Derfler was born in Portland in 1924 and served as a naval aviator during World War II, patrolling for submarines in the Atlantic Ocean.
He then settled in Salem, running NICO Furniture starting in the 1950s. He operated the business for 30 years before selling it, according to the Oregon State Capitol Foundation.
His work as a business owner convinced him to get into politics. He said some of his young employees had abused the state’s workers’ compensation system.
He won election as a Republican to the Oregon House of Representatives in 1988 after knocking on an estimated 10,000 doors in West Salem. In 1994, he was elected to the Oregon Senate. He held that office until 2001, serving as Senate majority leader for two sessions and Senate president for his final session.
“Gene Derfler was the kind of leader who left Oregon better than he found it. It was an honor to welcome him back to the Senate just weeks ago,” Senate Republican Leader Bruce Starr, R-Dundee, said in a statement. “Those of us who had the privilege to serve alongside him saw firsthand his steady leadership, sharp mind, and deep love for this state. Oregon is better because of Gene Derfler’s life of service, and he will be greatly missed.”
Derfler worked with state Rep. Kevin Mannix, R-Salem, to retool the state’s system for paying injured workers. Their aim was to make it easier for workers to get money they were owed without having to rely on litigation, while incentivizing workplace safety and cutting down on injuries. Mannix said they succeeded in both goals.
“That system is still largely in place, and we have one of the best worker’s compensation systems in the nation,” he said.
Mannix called Derfler a mentor.
“I’ve always admired him as a gentleman who practices what I call the old school of politics where one can disagree about an issue but one can still be collegial,” he said. “We need more gentle, committed and kind spirits such as his in public office, and I certainly want all of us to be challenged by that idea.”
As a cadet, Derfler met his future wife Thelma, who was waitressing in Iowa. He wrote her letters every night while serving. Thelma, a school teacher, would correct them and send them back.
The two were married for 77 years, until her death in 2022. They raised three children.
In his retirement, Derfler resided at Capital Manor in Salem, where he was active in the wood shop. He was part of a group of residents who made hundreds of toy trucks each year to give to children in local Head Start preschool programs.
Derfler also began carving lifelike trout, steelhead, salmon and koi. One of his creations, a Chinook salmon, is on display in the lobby of the Senate Republican Caucus. He told Salem Reporter he was still fishing regularly at age 99.
After his 100th birthday, Derfler took the stage in the Salem Public Library auditorium to discuss aging for the city’s inaugural Elderfest. He said he started most mornings with 30 minutes on the treadmill and a seven-story stair climb.
“I try to stay active because I know if you don’t keep moving, pretty soon you can’t move,” he told the audience.
He attributed his longevity to “having great ancestors.”
Mannix said one of Derfler’s defining characteristics was his humility.
“There are a lot of things that Gene did very quietly without needing to broadcast it to the world,” he said. “He’s had a full life. I will miss him.”
Correction: This article misstated which ocean Gene Derfler patrolled during World War II. Salem Reporter apologizes for the error.
Rachel Alexander is Salem Reporter’s managing editor. Published with permission from Salem Reporter.
