Peter Courtney

Peter Michael Coleman Courtney (June 18, 1943 – July 16, 2024) was an American politician, lawyer, and professor who was a Democratic member of the Oregon State Senate, representing the 11th District (in Marion County and including parts of Salem, Woodburn, and Gervais) from 1999 until 2023. He served as President of the Senate from 2003 to 2023, the longest tenure in state history.

Courtney was a member of the Oregon House of Representatives from 1981 to 1985 and from 1989 through 1998. Courtney previously taught at Western Oregon University.

Early life Courtney was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on June 18, 1943. He grew up in Moorestown, New Jersey, West Virginia, Rhode Island, and Virginia, the son of a life insurance agent. Both his parents earned college degrees, with his mother's degree in Latin. He graduated from Boston University's law school, and then moved to Oregon in 1969 to become the law clerk of William S. Fort of the Oregon Court of Appeals.

Courtney gave up his House seat to run for the U.S. House of Representatives, 5th district, in the 1984 primary. Courtney narrowly lost to state senator Ruth McFarland, who had been the 1982 nominee. In the House he served as Democratic leader for eight years, longer than anyone else had before him.

He avoided term limits by moving from the House to the Senate in 1999, representing only Marion County. In 2002, he had surgery to remove a burst appendix and even received last rites prior to the surgery when survival was unknown. After 13 days at the hospital he recovered and returned to the legislature. the two were recognized as having forged a strong bipartisan working relationship during the previous legislature's five emergency sessions. Courtney was the longest-serving legislator and Senate President in Oregon's history. His support and advocacy in animal-related measures saw him labeled as a 2011 "Top Dog" by the Oregon Humane Society. In January 2022, Courtney announced he would not seek reelection to the Oregon Senate due to health issues.

Personal life and death

Courtney taught speech at Western Oregon University, and served as an administrator at the Monmouth school.

He worked as a political commentator for KPTV television and KSLM (now KZGD, as of 2020) radio. He served on several boards of directors, and was a member of the Oregon State Bar.

Electoral history