John A. Harrison

JOHN A. HARRISON
February 7, 2025

John Harrison of Vancouver, a newspaper journalist who became a leading expert on Northwest energy and conservation, died Feb. 7. He was 70.
Throughout his career, colleagues kidded John for his six-fingered “hunt and peck” typing style, but they had the upmost respect for his thorough and accurate storytelling.
Born in Cleveland, Ohio, John was 6 when his family moved to Spokane, arriving downtown in the middle of the Lilac Festival parade. John squeezed through the crowd and stared in amazement when members of the Spokane Tribe of Indians marched by in full regalia. This uniquely Northwest experience was a fitting introduction. John would become a keen, curious observer and respectful teller of stories rooted in the Northwest, where he lived the rest of his life.
John grew up with his sister on Spokane’s South Hill, sledding at Manito Park in the winters and swimming in Comstock Pool in the summers. He was an avid skier, and joined Mt. Spokane Ski Patrol while in high school.
John attended Washington State University where he quickly learned his calling was to paper and pen. He graduated from the Edward JR. Murrow College of Communication. While at WSU, John interned for a summer at the La Grande Observer in Oregon. There he met Dawn Ohrling, a news reporter and photographer. They married a year later, then moved to Eugene, where John earned his master’s in journalism from the University of Oregon. He worked for the Spokane Chronicle and then worked 10 years at The Columbian, where he covered local government, the environment and the Columbia River Gorge-a place he embraced for its beauty and history.
John left the Columbian in 1990 and became the public information officer at the Northwest Power and Conservation Council in Portland. He collaborated with tribal members throughout the Pacific Northwest and British Columbia on energy issues important to communities along the Columbia River and its tributaries.
Outside of work, John coached both his sons’ soccer and T-ball teams, ran in marathons, and volunteered in PTA at Franklin Elementary School. John was also a man of great faith. He was involved at Columbia Presbyterian Church and its activities for youth, which included putting his welding skills to use on a mission trip in Mexico. At the time of his death, John was serving in his tenth year on the Board of Directors of the Friends of The Columbia River Gorge.
In retirement, John and Dawn enjoyed hiking and traveling. Ever curious and on the hunt for a good story, John continued to write. He had three books published, each with narrative roots in the Columbia River Basin. He also contributed news stories to local energy publications.
Besides his wife, Dawn, John is survived by his sons, John (Jennifer), Andrew (Sarah), three grandchildren, Tess, Ronald, and June; and his sister, Amy Delaney (Mark), and nieces and nephews. Contributions may be made in his name to the Friends of The Columbia River Gorge.
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