Harold Edwin Spoelstra, age 94, died peacefully at Hopewell House on April 6, 2012. A lifelong Oregonian, Hal overcame many adversities to accomplish much in his life, but he always said his proudest accomplishment was his family. Hal was born in Portland on December 28, 1917. He attended Jefferson High School where he graduated first in his class. He attended Oregon Institute of Technology, majoring in electrical engineering. After college he served as a transmitter engineer for radio station KOIN for seven years, administered the Portland Regional Blood Bank for four years, and operated his own marine electronics business, Columbia...
Harold Edwin Spoelstra, age 94, died peacefully at Hopewell House on April 6, 2012. A lifelong Oregonian, Hal overcame many adversities to accomplish much in his life, but he always said his proudest accomplishment was his family.
Hal was born in Portland on December 28, 1917. He attended Jefferson High School where he graduated first in his class. He attended Oregon Institute of Technology, majoring in electrical engineering. After college he served as a transmitter engineer for radio station KOIN for seven years, administered the Portland Regional Blood Bank for four years, and operated his own marine electronics business, Columbia Marine Electronics on the Columbia River, for 21 years. He then traveled to Montana developing shopping centers through the state, then back to Portland to found and operate Northwest Yacht Brokers until retiring.
Hal met Marjorie Coy on a blind date, and they were married on Easter Sunday in 1944. They had four children, Maggie, Carolyn and Elizabeth, and son Jan. Hal, Marge and daughters were members of Bruce Kelly's New Oregon Singers in the 70s and 80s, performing locally many times a year and taking their music all over the world, visiting 39 countries and performing for US troops overseas.
Water safety was Hal's passion. He is past president of Columbia River Yachting Association, Past Commodore of Rose City Yacht Club and a Red Cross instructor in First Aid, Water Safety, and Small Craft. He joined the Coast Guard Auxiliary and was awarded a permanent life membership for his contributions to both the Coast Guard Auxiliary and United States Power Squadrons. He joined the Portland Power Squadron in 1950, teaching Piloting continuously for over twenty years. He was Educational Officer and Commander of District 6, encompassing 22 Squadrons in Oregon and Washington, and chairman at the national level of the Marine Electronics Committee and the Piloting Committee, writing and contributing to boating texts that are still used by approximately 100,000 men, women and young people annually. He was elected to the USPS National Bridge in 1974 and served as Chief Commander, the highest office in the United States Power Squadrons.
His lifelong efforts on behalf of boating safety also earned Hal recognition as recipient of the Oregon Governor's Award for Boating Safety, the Senator John J. Hollister Memorial Award for Boating Safety, two Olin Marine Safety Awards, and the Red Cross Meritorious Service Award for 25 years of service.
Hal's achievements are all the more noteworthy since polio at age seven left him with a permanently paralyzed right leg. Despite his disability, he became a champion swimmer and an offshore sailor with a record of more than 20,000 cruising miles in small craft of all types.
After retiring, Hal created a presentation called Ships of Discovery, taking the navigation of the ancient mariners into elementary classrooms throughout the Portland area. He taught community education classes in Basic Boating and Celestial Navigation. And he was a trainer and State Administrative Assistant of 55-Alive safe driving courses for many years. A lifelong Presbyterian, Hal attended Mt. Tabor, St. Andrew's, and Milwaukie Presbyterian churches, where he was an ordained elder, sang in the choirs and played in the handbell choirs. He was also a 33rd degree Mason and past Worthy Patron of Eastern Star.
Hal is survived by his wife, Marge Spoelstra, his children, Carolyn Bradley (Tom), Jan Spoelstra (Eleanor) and Elizabeth Zimmerman (Michael); son-in-law, Vern Nelson; grandchildren Sarah Strohmeyer of Waco, TX, Melody Zweigart of Wilsonville, OR, Amy Zimmerman, Ariel Zych of Washington, D.C. and Daniel Spoelstra, and great granddaughter, Gracie Zweigart. His daughter, Maggie Nelson and granddaughter, Jennifer Spoelstra, preceded him in death.
A memorial service was held at Milwaukie Presbyterian Church on Saturday, April 21, 2012 at 3:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Sunshine Division or American Red Cross. And Hal would love it if you donated blood and took a 55 Alive class!