Jeremiah William Centrella

We are heartbroken to announce that our beloved Jeremiah William Centrella passed away suddenly Wednesday, June 18, 2025, at the age of 46 in Portland, Oregon, from a medical emergency. A man of many talents with a network of friends around the world, Jeremiah will be remembered as a loving family man, a chef extraordinaire, and an international humanitarian who, as a river guide in his younger days, learned to keep his eyes on the current and to navigate obstacles with determination and grit.

Born November 7, 1978, at home near Oroville, California, he earned his BA from Colorado College and his law degree from Willamette University College of Law.

Jeremiah went on to serve as in-house counsel for Columbia Helicopters before joining Mercy Corps, where he spent 10 years, eventually rising to General Counsel. He was known for his curiosity, compassion, and empathy - he believed everyone had a story worth hearing and held a deep respect for diverse cultures and perspectives.

It was through his highly valued time at Mercy Corps that he had the opportunity to put his experience, passion and humanitarian spirit to work on a global scale, partnering with people from many different countries and backgrounds, to try to make the world a better place - and he did. Jeremiah was a humble, brilliant, entrepreneurial leader who led by example, choosing not to limit himself to the confines of his corporate office, but rather spending extensive time in some of the most challenging contexts to gain invaluable, firsthand knowledge of his team and the countries they worked to support.

Jeremiah traveled extensively while with Mercy Corps, including to Somalia, Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, Tunisia and Gaza (where he was briefly kidnapped by Hamas, released only when they realized they had the wrong person) and many more countries - listening, observing, analyzing and sharing meals. He used his compassion and experience to understand often complex political situations, working with integrity, passion, sharp wit, and resolve.

He led negotiations between governments, NGO's, local leaders and communities, using his gift of empathy, intelligence, humor, and communication skills across cultures and backgrounds, enabling some of the most difficult situations to be negotiated towards a positive impact. During his tenure he also served as Board Member and Corporate Secretary for InsideNGO.

After leaving Mercy Corps, Jeremiah continued his work with NGOs and governmental entities at the Washington D.C. - based law firm Nichols Liu, before stepping back to spend more time fulfilling a dream of bringing people together through food. Tapping into his entrepreneurial spirit again, Jeremiah, working with his wife, Margaret Wolf, brought the food company Wolfella to life, feeding families all around Oregon through its weekly special menu. Jeremiah believed strongly that community could be built anywhere and most problems could be solved with a home cooked meal, preferably served family-style, and always with some good music playing. His meals nourished countless people, and inspired friends and family to prioritize eating together.

A true Renaissance man, Jeremiah's childhood was unconventional. He grew up a free spirit, roaming the forests of Oregon, always looking for a rock to jump from, a steep hill to slide down, fresh powder to ski, or a river to run. His risky skateboarding was legendary as were his youthful solo travels to such far-flung places as Mongolia, riding a horse through the countryside meeting the locals and creating lifelong friends. During college, he took a break to ride his bike through southern Europe and Morocco, fostering his love of travel, his curiosity about other cultures, and his taste for adventure. His intelligence was evident early on; by the age of four, he could solve large arithmetic problems in his head, astonishing family and friends.

While Jeremiah was able to experience life on a big stage, it was his family that grounded and held him. He loved his wife and daughters with a full heart, and cherished sharing his many passions and adventures with them.

Jeremiah is survived by his wife, Margaret, and two daughters, Lana and Eddy; parents, William and Janet T. Centrella; sisters, Sarah Centrella and Emielle (Nick) Nischik, and their families; half-siblings and their families; in-laws, Jo Wolf and Michael Wolf; sister-in-law, Kate Wolf; and his beloved puppy, Ralph. He also leaves behind a large extended family of aunts, uncles, and cousins, and an extensive friend family.

A memory page has been set up by an adored family friend for more information about Jeremiah's Celebration of Life and for sharing stories and messages about him that will be turned into a treasured book for his daughters - www.giveinkind.com - under Wolfella.

Donations in his memory may be made to College Possible Oregon at: https://give.classy.org/centrellamemorial.

The family - and Jeremiah's wide circle of friend family - ask that the next time you sit down to share a meal, you take a moment to give thanks for one another and clink your glasses, knowing that in these simple moments, you're building a foundation of love, connection, and community. Jeremiah would have loved that.