Brian K. Winterfield, 54, born in The Dalles, Oregon passed away at his home unexpectedly in the early morning of March 2nd, 2024, in Tualatin, Oregon. Brian had been valiantly fighting a battle with aggressive melanoma, and was hopeful he would be cured, but I guess Heaven was needing a Hero.
Brian was born and raised in The Dalles until the middle of his sophomore year of high school. He made many life-long friends there, and we visited the area as often as possible, often stopping by his grand-dad’s resting place to have a shot of Old Turkey with him. He has many special memories from his grand-dad’s homestead in The Dalles Watershed as a child.
His family moved to Gladstone in 1985. It was a tough adjustment, but he made some friends and “survived” high school, earning his diploma in 1987 from Gladstone High School. During high school years and post-graduation, Brian worked at GG’s Restaurant in Milwaukie to not only put gas in his car, but to have a little spending money. He eventually worked for QPM Aerospace, Inc (where Brian worked when he met his wife), Benchmade Knife Company, and Oregon Health & Sciences University in Logistics. He made some phenomenal life-long friends at each location.
Brian and his eventual wife-to-be, Connie, graduated the same year (1987), he from Gladstone High, she from Oregon State University. They didn’t know they were destined to be life partners until March 17, 2000, when they met at Kells Irish Pub’s Annual St. Patrick’s Day celebration in downtown Portland. They were pretty much inseparable from that day forward. They married in May 2002, and for their 20th anniversary, they celebrated with a special trip to Yosemite National Park. They hoped to eventually retire to Central Oregon and to be near water.
Travelling together, McMenamins Pubs & Hotels, PNW Breweries, wine, their cat Buddy (and Mittens before), his Harley, the Oregon State Beavers (adopted favorite team through his wife), and spending time with family and friends, were shared passions that kept them busy over the years. Brian was a loving person who always put others before himself. He too, was loved by most everyone he met. He touched the hearts of so many in his short 54+ years of life. He loved his wife beyond compare and always gave his full attention to those he met and made them feel at home. Connie is extremely thankful for their large community of friends, near and far, and even Buddy’s Cats of Instagram (COI) worldwide community, who have been there for them both throughout life’s ups and downs and sending so much support to Connie as she weathers this storm of losing her life partner in love.
Brian was preceded in death by his treasured Granny Grunt, Edith Scott; his grandfather, Harvey Hughson; his Grand-dad, Walter Scott; his great-aunt Setsuko “Bachan” Ainsworth, and his Father-in-law, Comm Henness.
He is survived by his beloved wife Connie and their cat Buddy; his parents, Dorthy and Don Winterfield; mother-in-law Joanne Henness, brother Aaron (Amber) Winterfield, brother-in-law Curtis (Sheila) Henness, uncle Walter (Cathy) Hughson, cousin Hana (Pete) Kenny, niece Sabrina (Jef) Siler, nephew Luke Winterfield, nephew Donovan Henness, first cousin once removed Declan Kenny, and great-niece, Lili Siler, as well as many other loving family and friends.
** In Loving Memory of a life so beautifully lived, a heart so deeply loved. **