Congressional Aide Patrick Ormsby Dies

Patrick Ormsby, a conscientious congressional staffer who quietly helped shape policies and programs to benefit Eastern Washington, died Thursday of cancer.

Mr. Ormsby, 38, was a public servant who labored anonymously to make government work for people.

“He was our anchor in Eastern Washington,” said U.S. Sen. Patty Murray, for whom Mr. Ormsby worked for nearly two years.

Mr. Ormsby, was a student-teacher at Lewis and Clark High School in 1986 when he was hired as a campaign assistant for U.S. Rep. Tom Foley.

“He loved politics from the word ‘go,”’ said Janet Gilpatrick, Foley’s longtime district manager who hired Mr. Ormsby for the campaign and brought him to work in the congressional office after the election.

“He liked the job because he liked to help people,” said Todd Woodard, a fellow staffer.

Eventually Mr. Ormsby became Foley’s chief assistant for agriculture, housing, welfare and appropriations in Washington, D.C.

Although born and raised in Spokane, Mr. Ormsby was a quick study who developed an expertise in agriculture, Foley said.

“He was somebody who threw himself into an issue, talked to people and studied it,” Foley said.

Don Phillips, immediate past president of the Washington Association of Wheat Growers, remembered Mr. Ormsby visiting farms, soaking up agriculture information and asking questions.

“He had his heart in it. He really got down and worked,” Phillips said.

Mr. Ormsby helped residents make their way through the maze of government programs to find help for local problems. Teresa Waunch of Deer Lake said Mr. Ormsby was instrumental in finding $3.3 million in the federal budget for safety improvements to Highway 395 north of Spokane.

“He didn’t just do his job,” said Waunch. “He tried to do the best that he could to make sure the people were represented by their government.”

After Foley’s loss in 1994, Mr. Ormsby returned to Spokane and eventually became Murray’s assistant for farm issues.

“It wasn’t just that he knew the policy; he knew the people and how something would affect farmers,” Murray said.

When government leaders gathered, he remained in the background, what Murray described as “the shadow in the room.” When Al Gore visited Spokane last fall, Mr. Ormsby hung back when other people rushed up to have their picture taken with the vice president.

Gore, who had been told Mr. Ormsby was fighting cancer, sought him out, promised to pray for him and insisted they have a picture taken, Murray recalled.

“Being singled out was really hard for Pat,” but he did appreciate the picture, which Gore later signed, Murray said.

“When the vice president toured the flood damage recently, one of the first things he asked was about Pat,” she said.

Diagnosed with cancer in July, Mr. Ormsby continued to work for months, turning aside questions about his illness with humor and grace.

“He was a lesson to many people. He died gracefully and peacefully, like he lived,” Gilpatrick said.

Mr. Ormsby is survived by his wife, Janet, and two sons, Miles, 3, and Paul, 4-1/2 months.

An educational trust fund has been set up for the children with his brother, Spokane attorney Mike Ormsby, as custodian. Services are pending.

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