It might be easy, even convenient, for Oregonians to forget our politicians are real people.

People who strive to keep going despite cancer and other challenges. People who worry about their children. People whose friendships cross societal boundaries.

On Thursday morning, Oregon senators scrapped their usual business. Instead, they remembered their colleague Aaron Woods, D-Wilsonville, who died Saturday while battling cancer.

Democrats and Republicans eulogized Woods, often tearing up, and often speaking directly to his family members who were in attendance.

“We’re all going to pass, but he showed us how to do it in a way that was courageous,” said Sen. Kate Lieber, D-Portland, who has dealt with cancer herself. “He taught this body a lot about what it is to both live with purpose and how to die with dignity.”

Woods, 75, was in his first term representing Senate District 13, having been elected in 2022.

Sen. Mike McLane, R-Powell Butte, told Woods’ children their first meeting was over a meal hosted by Sen. David Brock Smith, R-Port Orford. Woods invited McLane to join him.

“In that little act, he bridged divides – urban, rural, race, political parties, political views – and when we got up from the table, your dad had showed me that I had a friend,” McLane said.

“One of the things we could all do as members of the Senate, and you as his family, is to remind ourselves what Aaron Woods would do: He’d walk across the room, shake the hand, have a bright smile, and he’d share a meal. 

“That seems such a small act. Maybe some of the big problems we all have can begin to be solved by the small act demonstrated by Sen. Aaron Woods.”

The Senate district’s Democratic precinct committee members will meet May 4 in Wilsonville to choose three to five nominees to fill the vacancy. County commissioners from Clackamas, Washington and Yamhill counties will appoint the new senator from among the nominees.

Woods grew up on the south side of Chicago. An Army veteran, he worked as a senior executive in Oregon’s tech industry. He served on the Clackamas Community College board, Wilsonville Alliance for Inclusive Communities and Wilsonville DEI Exploratory Group.

Sen. Kathleen Taylor, D-Portland, told how she appreciated Woods’ ongoing reassurance as she worried over her son’s desire to join the Army.

Sen. Lew Frederick, D-Portland, recalled the powerful image of sitting at the Senate Democrats’ conference table for the first time there was a Black senator at each corner – Woods; James Manning Jr., Eugene; Kayse Jama, Portland; and himself.

Woods didn’t require big speeches or big headlines to affect policy and people.

“First meeting him, he was so quiet,” said Sen. Sara Gelser Blouin, D-Corvallis. “And then when he would speak, it would either be very smart or very funny – very, very funny – and it would just come out of nowhere, which makes that extra funny.”

The consistent theme: Woods cared about people.

“He was incredibly passionate for every single person that I have ever spoken to him about,” Brock Smith said. “He wanted to know everything there is about you and why you care about what you care about – and found common ground with that.

“Sen. Woods brought what it is to be a statesman to this chamber, and he’s incredibly missed.” 

Update from last week: The Oregon governor’s official website included a public listing of the key staff, their roles and how they could be contacted. In my April 17 Capital Chatter, I reported that list was removed several weeks ago, but Gov. Tina Kotek and her aides refused to say why.

The next day, Kotek’s office issued this explanation: “Staff of the Governor’s Office have received threats of violence, which we shared with the proper authorities immediately. Out of a commitment to the safety of the employees of the Governor’s office, the staff list was taken down from the public facing website. The list is available by request. All further inquiries on this matter should be directed to the Oregon State Police.”