Rodney Lee O'Hiser

I worked with Rod at the Portland Bureau of Planning for several years. Rod was everyone´s favorite planner. He always had a twinkle in his eye. He was highly respected and a font of knowledge about city planning and urban design. If you wanted to know anything about Portland´s planning history; ask Rod. Rod was a major force behind the 1972 adopted Downtown Plan and its successor, the 1988 Central City Plan. I enjoyed swapping stories about track and field, Portland history, and...

Rodney, my dear friend + cheerleader of my little restaurant, MÅURICE-was a gem of a human. I am honored by our friendship. Rodney´s daughter Roda, brought him into my restaurant a little over 9yrs ago. He liked to tease myself + staff, saying that he never left. It was a bit true... as he quickly became like family and he would never miss his weekly smørbrød + scone, often more than once a week. "Rodolfo il Magnifico" as he dubbed himself in his Italian class, was filled with jubilante...

I covered planning and development for The Oregonian during Rod's time at the planning bureau in leadership roles for many major downtown planning initiatives. He was always a font of knowledge, very helpful in explaining complicated planning matters in layman's terms, and always affable to a fault. Hail fellow well met.

I first met Rod while a Model Cities neighborhood volunteer, later had the opportunity to work with him at the Portland Bureau of Planning. Rod was a valued mentor, colleague and friend.

I can't imagine Portland without Rodney. He shaped its development in countless ways. He enjoyed trying new restaurants and settling on a few favorites--from Pettygrove House and Zefiro's to Maurice--where he was as loyal a customer as he was a friend.