Obituary: Hugh Garrabrant

In the early 1950s, Hugh attended Lewis & Clark University and attained a law degree in 1973.

Hugh enlisted into the U.S. Army and served his country from 1952 to 1955, stationed primarily in Fort Ord, Calif. He was honorably discharged as a corporal, then went on to serving in the U.S. Navy reserves for five years in Hawaii.

He met his future wife, Coleen Foley, while in high school. They dated for three years and married on Oct. 5, 1953, in Berkley, Calif. Following their marriage, they made their home in San Jose until 1956, when they moved for a short while to Hood River. In the fall of 1956, they moved to Eugene while Hugh was in school, then back to Hood River in 1957, where Hugh managed his father’s Chevrolet  business until  1964, when they made their home in Hilo, Hawaii. There, Hugh ran “KIMO,” a radio station, for five years. In 1969, they moved back to Oregon, settling in Portland. They then settled back to Hood River in 1975 and lived on a small acreage in the valley, where they became part of the early wine grape growing community of Oregon. In 2007, they moved to King City, Ore.

Besides being an owner of a radio station for five years, Hugh was also an assistant DA for Washington County, 1973-1975, and became the District Attorney for Hood River County from 1975-1984. Hugh then was elected as District Judge for Hood River County  from 1984-1989. Following his public service, Hugh was in private practice until his retirement in 1997.

Hugh was an avid golfer, reader and ham radio operator. He had a private pilot’s license and enjoyed flying. He loved being outdoors, hunting elk with his friends and camping when the children were little. Hugh was a very outgoing, social person and enjoyed the company of family and friends.

Coleen and Hugh also traveled abroad, including visiting Holland, Ireland, Panama Canal, Hawaii and the Caribbean. Hugh was a member of the Hood River Elks Club, Masonic Home and St. Marks Episcopal Church in Hood River and, more recently, Christ Church Parrish in Lake Oswego.

He is preceded in death by his parents and his son, Mark.

He is survived by his loving wife, Coleen; daughter and son-in-law, Lee Ann and Todd Verboort, of Forest Grove, Ore.; daughter-in-law, Kim Ernest, of Ventura, Calif.; sister, Phyllis Donohue, of Portland; three grandchildren, Griffith, Kamran and his wife Amanda, and Keon; and one great-granddaughter, Saffron.