Celebration of Life - Dr. Rodney Orr

Dr. Rodney Earl Orr, surrounded by the love of his immediate family, passed away peacefully at home in Silverton, Oregon on August 21, 2025 after a nearly two-year long battle with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. He was 75 years old. A public celebration of Rod’s extraordinary life will take place on Friday, September 5, 2025 at 12 pm at Vanderbeck Valley Farms (37791 OR HWY 213, Mt Angel, Oregon).

Throughout his adult life, Rod was known to frequently say there are many difficult things that happen in life that you cannot control, but what you can control is how you respond to them. Even as he faced a devastating diagnosis, he maintained his trademark attitude—practical, philosophical, and full of gratitude for what was, rather than what would not be. He reminded family and friends regularly throughout the last two years that he had lived a rich and fulfilling life beyond his wildest dreams and harbored no regrets. He was completely at peace with his life and knowing this brought peace to those who loved him. Though he did not welcome cancer, he nevertheless did embrace the opportunity—knowing the end would come sooner rather than later—to relish the time he had and share reflections and feelings with those he loved most.

Rod was born April 7, 1950 in Portland, Oregon to parents Frances Elizabeth (née Westrom) and Robert Leon Orr—both of whom left their small Nebraska farm towns at an early age to find work and adventure on the West Coast. He was raised in Gresham, Oregon, along with his sister and two brothers. He graduated from Gresham High School in 1968. His young life was marred at times by abuse, neglect, and extreme poverty and Rod often coped by imagining the secure and happy life he might create for himself one day. After being hospitalized as a young child and spending several days there alone, Rod decided he wanted to grow up to be a doctor like the man in white who visited him daily and helped care for him. He dreamt also of having a farm, a family, and some horses—all of which he would later go on to achieve.

He received a Bachelor of Science from Western Washington University in 1972. In that same year, he married his first wife, Beth Finnson of Bellingham, Washington and the couple relocated to Portland, Oregon. There, he attended the University of Oregon Medical School (later known as Oregon Health & Sciences University), from which he graduated in 1976. Shortly thereafter, he welcomed his first daughter, Rebekah, and then his second daughter Ashley in 1978, while completing his medical residency in Greeley, Colorado.

In 1979, Rod and his family moved to Silverton, Oregon. He first worked in the emergency room of Albany General Hospital, while building his own new office building on Fairview Street in Silverton. In 1980, the building was completed and he opened his family medicine practice–what would later become known as Silverton Family Medical Group. Eventually, he grew the business to include family practice and urgent care clinics in both Silverton and Molalla. He would own and operate the practice for more than 40 years. In this time, Rod cared for generations of patients young and old in and around the Silverton area, including delivering more than 1000 babies during his career. He found deep purpose in caring for patients and their families in their everyday moments and some of their most difficult challenges. He also loved mentoring others as they pursued their own careers in medicine or medical clinic administration. In addition to his personal practice, he served on the HealthNet Peer Review and Credentials Committee and as Chief of Surgery at Silverton Hospital, Medical Director at Capital Health Care, and President of Medical Staff at Silverton Hospital.

After seven years of partnership, in 1994 he married Shandra Greig of Creswell, Oregon. She was the love of his life and would remain his devoted partner in marriage and in their shared calling for practicing medicine for more than 30 years. Together they shared a zest for life and adventure that led them to the tops of mountains, deep into the ocean, around the world, and back home again, where they nurtured close and loving relationships with a large group of friends and family. Their marriage produced two more children—daughter Lindsey in 1998 and son Jason in 2000.

Rod was a proud and devoted father to his four children and loved experiencing and discovering life through and alongside them. He relished creating for his kids the stability and experiences he didn’t have as a young boy—from daily rituals, to magical holidays, to international travel, to discovering sports and interests, and providing opportunities for higher education. But more than anything, he was a constant and comforting presence throughout each of their lives. He loved to use metaphors, stories, and endless repetition (much to his children’s chagrin) to impart to them his most important values and life lessons— to serve others, to fight for those less fortunate, to stand up to bullies, to be a leader and make a difference in the world, to find meaningful work and do it well, to be informed and curious about the world, to give others the benefit of the doubt, to not sweat the small stuff, and most of all to nurture loving relationships with friends and family. Most recently he was delighted to become a grandfather to his first grandson, Caleb Ernesto. 

Rod was endlessly curious and therefore a man of many varied interests, hobbies, and passions throughout his life: Boy Scouts (in which he earned the rank of Eagle Scout), coin collecting, playing musical instruments and performing in musical theater, running (including completing at least five marathons and more than 20 Hood to Coast Relay races), boating and water skiing, hiking and backpacking, camping, scuba diving, international travel, cooking, flying airplanes, skiing, coaching and supporting youth athletics, vegetable gardening, crossword puzzles, playing pinochle, and honing his bad dad jokes. He loved to read books about history, politics, spirituality, self-improvement and murder mysteries—especially those involving horseracing. He was also an avid fan of Oregon Ducks athletics, particularly Oregon Football.

In 1985, as payment for delivering a baby, Rod was offered guidance buying his first racehorse and free training of the horse for a year. This began a lifelong passion for horses and horseracing that would take him all across the country and as far away as Australia. He enjoyed tremendous success as an owner and breeder, with his horses placing in multiple graded stakes races. Among many winning accolades, She’s a Tiger, bred by Rod in Kentucky, won the national Eclipse Award for the American Champion Two-Year-Old Filly in 2013. She also won the esteemed Grade 1 De Mar Debutante Stakes and finished first in the Breeder’s Cup Juvenile Fillies Race in 2013, though was later disqualified on a technicality and placed second. In 2014, Rod was also named Oregon Thoroughbred Breeder of the Year. He was also recognized as a breeder by the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association.

Rod was an active member of First Christian Church in Silverton for nearly 40 years, where he played a leadership role as a deacon and elder. He also served as President of the Silverton Chamber of Commerce in 1984. In 1979, he was asked to serve as a volunteer physician for Silverton High School athletics and continued to do so for decades thereafter. Rod also supported high school athletics by offering sports physicals free of charge for Silverton High School student athletes. He also served as the J.V. Assistant Coach for the Silverton High School Girls Softball Team from 2013-2016. In 2018, the Silverton High School Alumni Association awarded him an honorary diploma, recognition bestowed on “community members who have made significant contributions to the SHS activities and students.” In February of 2023, Silver Falls School District also presented Rod with a Lifetime Achievement Award.

Rod is survived, forever cherished, and celebrated by his wife Shandra Greig; daughter Rebekah Orr (Roy Scheer) of San Francisco, CA; daughter Ashley Graves (Patrick Graves) of Silverton, OR; daughter Lindsey Carcamo (David Carcamo) of Silverton, OR; son Jason Orr of Silverton, OR; grandson Caleb Carcamo; his brothers Richard Orr of Silverton, OR and Randy Orr (Michelle Orr) of Portland, OR; sister-in-law Stephanie Polley (Steve Polley) of Vancouver, WA; parents-in-law Karen and Harold Greig of Creswell, OR; and eleven nieces and nephews: Kim, K’Lynn, Kriston, Kurt, Jeff, Cari, Preston, Lauren, Leeden, Kelli, and Bryant—as well as more than a dozen great and great-great nieces and nephews. He is also survived and missed by his faithful beagle companion, Lilly. He is preceded in death by his parents, sister Sandra Harrison and brother-in-law David Harrison, and his half-sister Patricia Foster as well as his beloved Jack Russell Terrier, Rosey.

In keeping with Rod’s commitment to care for the health and well-being of others, the family encourages donations in lieu of flowers to Travis and Beverly Cross Guest Housing Center via the Providence St. Vincent Medical Foundation (note in comments your desire to allocate your gift to the Guest Housing Center), which was a lifeline for the family during his medical care; Providence St. Vincent Medical Foundation Neuro-Oncology Research, which is raising funds for new clinical trials for patients with brain cancer and uncovering and testing new treatment options for aggressive brain tumors; or Silverton Area Community Aid, which provides food, services, and access to resources for those in need in the community he called home for 46 years.