Obituary of Stephen Vorhes

Stephen Lee Vorhes1953 - 2016Stephen Vorhes, 63, died at home on Monday, July 4, after a three-year struggle with a rare form of cancer. He was born on January 17, 1953, in Viroqua, Wisconsin, the son of Rev. Arthur and Barbara (nee Quandahl) Vorhes. He was baptized into the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ at North Kickapoo Lutheran Church. He moved with his family to Hayward and Perham, Minnesota and Hayward, Wisconsin, where he graduated from Hayward High School in 1971. He then attended Concordia College, Moorhead, Minnesota, graduating in 1975. There he sang in the Concordia Choir under Paul J. Christiansen for all four years, including choir tours around the United States and to Norway. He married Susan Riedman in Bismarck, North Dakota, in May 1976. After three years of working on the construction of grain elevators in North Dakota and Minnesota through the summer heat and brutal winter cold, he moved to Portland, Oregon, to attend Lewis & Clark Law School, with a focus on environmental law. He served on the Environmental Law Review and graduated with a J.D. in 1981. He then moved to Vale, Oregon, where he served as Malheur County Counsel until moving to Eugene in 1986 to take a position as In House Counsel for Lane County with an emphasis on land use.Stephen played trumpet and guitar, but relied on singing to bring balance to his life. He had a rich, wonderful low bass. He has sung with the Eugene Concert Choir, Eugene Vocal Arts, Eugene Symphony Chorus, Cascadia Concert Opera, Eugene Opera, Oregon Bach Festival, Emmaus Lutheran Church Choir, Church of the Resurrection Evensong Choir, and the Lennonite Choir, and sang countless times for weddings and funerals. He officially retired from the County in 2012 but continued to do land use work for them until this summer. In addition to singing, Stephen’s interests were running, bicycling, hiking, camping, swimming in water most of us would have found too cold, fishing, and gardening. He served on many boards and committees involved with the Lutheran Church. Most recently he has given happily of his time to advance the interests of Camp Lutherwood. He was a devout and faithful church member, extending a friendly hug to everyone he could reach. He visited family in the Midwest as often as possible; for the last few years, since his diagnosis, showing superhuman strength to make the trips.Stephen is survived by his mother Barbara of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, brother Peter and wife Liz of Laurium, Michigan, his sister Mary of Roseville, Minnesota, and sister Ruth and husband Steve of Savannah, Missouri; his partner of many years, Ellen Haley Walton, and her children Anne and Katherine and grandchildren Adam, Lucie and Henry, and grand-dog Dib, as well as nieces, nephews, and grand-nieces and nephews, and many close friends, all of whom shared in the warmth of his big heart.A Celebration of Life will be held at Emmaus Lutheran Church, 18th and Polk, Eugene, at 11:00 on Thursday, July 14. Remembrances may be donated to Camp Lutherwood, PO Box 314, Cheshire, Oregon 97419; the Emmaus Lutheran Church Music Fund; or the Concordia College Music Department in Moorehead Minnesota. Arrangements entrusted to Murphy-Musgrove Funeral Home. Please access the obituary and you are invited to sign the guestbook at musgroves.com.