Orrin Grover (better known to classmates as “Butch”), of Woodburn, Oregon, passed away on August 15, 2025, as a result of respiratory failure associated with a stroke which occurred years before.
Butch was born at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Alabama. His father was a Brigadier General in the Air Force, and as a result Butch grew up in many places, including Saudi Arabia. However, he always claimed Alabama as home and that at heart he was just a country boy. Not surprisingly, his favorite band was Alabama!
While at the Naval Academy Butch majored in Foreign Affairs, but his love of knowledge knew no bounds. He was active in Masqueraders and the Sailing Squadron. Among the many things he did in his spare time and while on leave was to sell encyclopedias door-to door. Upon graduation Butch was commissioned in the Marine Corps. After Basic School at Quantico, he earned a law degree from Golden Gate University in San Francisco and served in the Judge Advocate Division.
After leaving the Marines, Butch practiced law for over 40 years in California and Oregon. During his legal career, he often found himself taking on governmental policies that he felt limited individual freedom and rights. Many of the cases he took on were pro bono, consistent with his personal belief in doing whatever he could to help others.
In 2015 Butch suffered a major stroke which left him with a severe speech impediment and limited mobility. As a result, he spent the last ten years of his life in care facilities, but he never lost his sense of humor and intellectual curiosity. He was a friend to everyone.
Butch’s wife Angela Joy Grover preceded him in 2016. He is survived by his daughter Meganne Colby Mortensen of John Day, Oregon, son Justin Leigh Grover of Massillon, Ohio and grandchildren Caitlyn, Jacob and Simon.
Updated: January 30, 2026
Curator: Ed Moore