Obituaries

'77

Gary R. Duell
March 28, 1952–2024

It is with great sadness that the family of Gary Duell announce his passing. Gary was a dedicated and compassionate husband, father, brother, and citizen, and leaves behind a legacy of love, hard work, and passion for deeply-felt causes. 

Born in Kansas, Gary grew up in Salem, Oregon.  He matriculated at Willamette University, obtaining bachelors and masters degrees. He later made his home in the Portland area where he started his career in the management program at Farmers Insurance and then became an agent for Farmers.  He later started his own financial advisory firm, where his work brought him great joy as he helped countless clients achieve their retirement dreams. He also taught classes part time through Portland Community College on Social Security and financial planning issues. He was a Happy Valley Business Alliance charter member and one of the first presidents.

A man of many talents and deep convictions, Gary was passionate about politics, nature, and the environment.   Gary had an incredible knack for fixing anything and was always willing to lend a helping hand to anyone in need. Whether it was a home project or a moment of support, he was there with skill and kindness. His love for music was another defining aspect of his life. A talented guitarist and songwriter, Gary found joy and expression in playing and sharing music. Above all, Gary was a loving husband and family man. His warmth, wisdom, humor and unwavering support touched everyone who knew him. He will be remembered for his generosity, his boundless energy, and his enduring love for his family and friends.

He is survived by his loving wife, Marlene; his son, Jon, and grandchild, Lily; step-daughter Zoe and son-in-law Colin.  Gary also leaves behind his dear brothers Barry, Bart, and Kevin, his dear sister-in-law Kathi Ross, and nieces and nephews who will miss him deeply. He was predeceased by his beloved daughter, Kristin, whose memory he carried close to his heart.Gary will be profoundly missed, but his spirit will live on in the hearts of those who were fortunate enough to know and love him. 

’81

Michael B. Batlan
January 9, 1953–March 20, 2024

Michael Brant Batlan was born on January 9, 1953, in New York City, to Richard S. Batlan and Suzanne Herman Halsey. He spent his childhood on Long Island, moving to the Bay Area as a young teen, ultimately graduating from Santa Monica High School, before moving to Salem, Oregon to attend Willamette University in 1971.

Michael’s years at Willamette provided him with the sound underpinnings of a happy life: a good education, football, and most importantly, lifelong friends—many of whom became like family. Graduating with an MBA in 1982 (as it turns out, in the same ceremony where his future wife Kathy would receive her JD), Michael served many years as a federal bankruptcy trustee and state court appointed receiver. He stepped in and solved problems, learning anew about each business as it came.

His avocation, however, was officiating football, starting while he was still an undergraduate, and continuing through years working games for high school, small college, the Pac-10, and the Pac-12, coming off the field as a referee in 2016. Still devoted to the game, he worked in the Pac-12 Command Center in San Francisco, coordinating with Instant Replay. Football gave him more friends to cherish, more problems to solve, and more experiences to enjoy.

On March 20, 2024, we lost the best husband, father, grandfather, uncle, son, and brother. Michael adored his daughters Celia (Russ) and Libby (Ramin), on whom he imparted his life’s wisdom and sense of humor, whether it was during untold hours on volleyball courts, on bike rides through backroads in the Willamette Valley, or on one of many family vacations. He cherished his grandchildren Graham, Jonah, Gillian, and Isabel; and he loved his nephew Aaron, his wife Sarah, and their children Madeline, Miles, and Grayson. Michael was predeceased by his parents and his sister Patricia and is survived by his sister Emily.

'99

Rex Kappler
May 31, 1955–September 22, 2024

Rex Richard Kappler was born at the Salem General Hospital on May 31, 1955, in the process pulling his father, Charles Wilson Kappler ("Chuck"), off the Oak Knoll golf course in Salem. Rex's wife, Susan Blanche-Kappler, is an eager, loving and insightful translator of the benchmarks of Rex's life.

Rex was the only child of Chuck and Martha Jean Kappler (née Edmondson). He grew up in Albany from the age of 6 months and attended Albany High School for his first two years, then his graduation year at the newly built South Albany High School in 1973.

Rex and his lifetime love, Susan, were married on Aug. 9, 1980 in the yard of the Albany home he grew up in, and recently celebrated their 44th anniversary in Salem.

An excellent athlete - those "golfing bones" propelled him at one point to participation in several local tournaments and a 12-handicap - Rex excelled in football, basketball and baseball in high school, winning several letters. He extended his baseball abilities with the American Legion in 1973, in Double-A pro ball in 1974, at Eastern Oregon State College and while at Chemeketa in 1975.

He maintained his love of team sports by acquiring season passes to Oregon State University's football and basketball teams and enjoyed inviting friends and family members to games in order to share in that love. He and Susan attended Seattle Mariners baseball games from early in their marriage.

Rex's athleticism was complemented by strongly held intellectual and philosophical principles. He was a quiet, measured man, content to study, observe and listen before offering his opinion. Rex's niece, Jayna Alvarez, described him in this way: "Quiet men listen and absorb and process and they aren't thinking about the next thing they're going to say, because they are listening."

Rex added a few more singular entries into his unconventional curriculum vitae: a number of courses with the Evelyn Wood Seven-Day Speed Reading and Learning Program and a three-week, self-imposed stint with Outward Bound's community program to learn "Teamwork, Self-Regulation, Self-Awareness" - attained by scaling each of the Three Sisters mountains and living on tins of sardines. He exhausted himself and lost 30 pounds from his already-trim frame, but felt the process was successful in building his character.

He and Susan met at Chemeketa Community College in a history classroom in 1976. He was majoring in geology and history and attended for two years, 1974-1975. He and Susan moved to Bellingham, Wash., to attend Western Washington State University, where he graduated in 1980 with a BA in geology (chemistry minor) and in 1981 with a BA in history.

He then went to work at Ashton Photo in Salem, leaving after 15 years as a line manager in 1996. During that time, he attended night school and received another BA degree, this one in business, from Western Oregon University in 1992. His thirst for knowledge was extended further as he enrolled at Willamette University's Atkinson School of Management, earning a Master's in Business Management. He then began working for the Oregon Secretary of State's Audits Division, where he retired after 14 years.

'10

Brendan Butler
July 13, 1979–June 22, 2024

Brendan Butler passed away after an acute infectious illness on June 22, 2024, at the age of 44. Born on July 13, 1979, in Indianapolis, Brendan grew up in Illinois and attended Boylan Catholic High School in Rockford where he was a scholar athlete, playing both baseball and football. He later attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison, graduating with his Bachelor’s degree in Business as a proud Badger football fan.

Driven by his adventurous spirit and love of his family, Brendan followed his sister and moved to Portland, Oregon, in 2004. He worked several jobs while attaining his MBA from Willamette University. He later worked for the Oregon Clinic and volunteered for the Oregon Humane Society, adopting his faithful dog, Cassius. He met his wife, Joy, in 2013, and they were married in a glorious celebration at the Tetherow Resort in Bend, OR, in 2019. The couple welcomed their son, Wyatt Gregory, on April 7, 2022.

Brendan was always cool under pressure, handling strenuous situations with ease and a wry smile. Dependable both at work and home, Brendan's hard work was driven by his dedication to others rather than personal accolades. He was also a prankster who loved a harmless joke to spread cheer and raise a chuckle among his friends. At celebratory events, he loved to boogie and often performed the lawnmower dance to the delight of onlookers. 

Brendan won over countless friends with his disarming wit, quiet nature, and sweet disposition. He had a genuine love of pizza and a bold palate for new food. An avid sports fan, he counted many professional teams among his favored ranks, including the Chicago Bears, the Chicago White Sox, and the Portland Trailblazers. He also enjoyed wine and was blessed to live close to the Willamette Valley region. 

His love for travel took him to many places with Green Lake, Wisconsin, and Hawaii being favorite family destinations. Throughout his life, he went on road trips with friends to attend live music for bands such as Phish and Radiohead. Despite his love for new experiences, weekends at home or at the Farmer’s Market with his family remained among his favorite activities. Tender-hearted, thoughtful, loving, and funny, Brendan’s proudest accomplishment was being a doting and amazing father.

Brendan is survived by his wife and son, Joy and Wyatt Butler; his parents, Dr. John and Mary Ann Butler; his sister and brother-in-law, Stephanie Butler and Scott Hadden and their two children, Caden and Sean; and his father-in-law and mother-in-law, Paul and Mary Ann Bryant; as well as many more family members special to him.

In lieu of flowers, family and friends are encouraged to donate to the Oregon Humane Society in Brendan’s name.