Page 2 May 2020
Continued on Page 9
Michael P. Jones R.I.P.
Continued on Page 9
Michael P. Jones R.I.P.
(Editors note: We are deeply saddened to learn of PE&D writer Michael P. Jones death on March 29, 2020. He was one of my best and invaluable writers and is impossible to replace. He wrote for me for over 20 years and his writing was always inter- esting, extensive and detailed. His articles live on in this months issue (May, 2020). The following is a memorial written by Mi- chaels wife Nita Kreuzer and nieces Michele Normand, Kathryn Swazo, Kristi Hickey and nephew Brian Lehmann.)
Michael P. Jones - June 11, 1951 ~ March 29, 2020 They say we all have a story. Our plots are tangled with trag-
edy, triumphs, love and transformation. We move through our days often oblivious of the chapters we write ~ unaware that someone, someday might actually read it. Michael P. Jones spent his days breathing life into the stories that needed a voice ~ the ones that had been stuffed on a shelf with little chance of being opened. On March 29, 2020, Michaels last chapter was written and, little did he know, his story is a best seller.
Michael entered our world on June 11, 1951 in Southeast Portland. He was the first son of his Italian mother, Anna, father Lawrence and little brother to Rita, Suzi (Gerald) and Doris. When Michael was a little boy, he gained a brother when his family welcomed foster brother Tommy into the home. Tommys father, Dewey Kirkpatrick, unwittingly paved a path of passion that Michael followed all of his life, which was learning about the Underground sections and tunnels in Portland; Michael explored them from childhood on, gathering abandoned items and eventually learning the historical culture of the Old North End/Old Town through dozens of oral interviews with street people, Portland old-timers, police officers, and descendants of those impacted by the nefarious activities of early Portland. Even- tually, Michael shared many of the stories, sections of the Under- ground, and hundreds of artifacts of the era at the Museum of the Shanghai Tunnels in todays Old Town. At a young age, Michaels appreciation for people was spotlighted when he befriended the cranky next-door neighbor. While others avoided her, Michael respected and learned from her diversity. At John Marshall High School, Michael not only developed self-disci- pline in cross-country, football and wrestling, but also recognized that, with the support of his mother father by his side, win or lose, he could persevere through even the toughest times. It was then that he began to understand that he could empower others.
Upon graduation from high school, Michael attended Port- land State University, living near the school and continuing his pursuit of the history of old Portland.
Following graduation from Portland State University, Michaels passions paved a new path that led him to settle in a rustic cabin nestled in the woods of Rhododendron, Ore., alone and con- tent. There, he embraced his love of wild animals, advocating for their rights and providing them food and safety. As he learned more about those lands, he began to understand and respect the stories that emerged - Native Americans, the Oregon Trail and homesteads of historical figures, and more.
In 1979, Michael founded the non-profit Cascade Geographic Society in order to document the cultural, historical and natural resources of the Cascade Mountain Range. Michael began devel- oping exhibits and educational materials to protect these heritage resources. From that point, the chapters that unfold include Michael as part of the Oregon Department of Transportations Citizen Advi- sory Council, which led to the founding of the Citizens for a Suitable Highway in 1985 to work on safety issues associated with East U.S. Highway 26. This work resulted in the Highway 26 Widening Agree- ment of 1987. In the 1990s, Michael and a team of Native Americans founded The Mount Hood Sacred Lands Preservation Alliance, which monitored heritage areas where traditional religious and cultural activities took place. Through his ventures, Michael formed invaluable relationships with members of the Yakama Indian Nation and the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs. For 25-five years, Michael shared his vast knowledge and perspectives with students of Portland State University through the Continuing Education De- partment, impacting the lives of hundreds of teachers (and their stu-
Previous Page