Comments and Quotes About

Wilbur E. Ternyik

and his Legacy to the State of Oregon

and the Oregon Coast

"Wilbur Ternyik never expected recognition. His work was the tangible creation of his heart's vision." 

Senator Mark O. Hatfield

"God broke the mold when he made Wilbur."

Jim Ross, former executive director of the Oregon Coastal Conservation and Development Commission (OCCDC) and former director of the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development.

"Balancing a passion for coastal resource protection with the needs of developing coastal communities such as Florence is not an assignment for the timid, which is why Wilbur was and is such an important player on the coastal stage."

Eldon Hout, former manager of Oregon's Ocean and Coastal Management Program and now an executive with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Washington, D.C.

"The man has an uncanny ability to understand what's happening in nature."

Onno Husing, current Director, Oregon Coastal Zone Management Association

"He was fair. Wilbur didn't use his power to overrun any of us."

Jack Broome, retired architect from Tualatin who was one of Governor Tom McCall's appointees to OCCDC.

 "He cared about all (Oregon) ports as a system. We wouldn't be where we are today if it hadn't been for the activities Wilbur involved himself in."

Russ Crabtree, executive director of the Port of Brookings-Harbor.

“Ternyik commanded an enormous level of trust from other coastal officials who often clashed with one another.”

Ellen Lowe, 73, former Salem City Council member and another of McCall's OCCDC appointees.

"What Wilbur did for all of us is almost incomprehensible in terms of time and effort he has spent.  We owe him a tribute — a lasting memory — so that his efforts will not be forgotten."

     Kathy Bridges, The Bridges Foundation