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CLOUDY Temp: 46 °F Wind: CLM at 0 mph Friday, April 18, 2003 SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA HomeLife Magazine W3 Magazine Jobs @ Mail Tribune Tempo A & E Oregon CarZone Wellness Connection Real Estate Newspaper in Education Prime Times Outdoor Journal Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find Everything E SOUTHERN OREGON Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar ABOUT US FAQ What's New Advertise Home Delivery Classified Ad Contact Us Media Kit Email Story to a Friend March 31, 2003 Former representative Lombard, 62, dies Friends and colleagues remember Kip Lombard as a brilliant man, full of integrity By JONEL ALECCIA Mail Tribune ASHLAND — Kip Lombard, a former state representative and one of Oregon’s foremost experts on water law, died Thursday at his home. He was 62. Lombard’s death came six months after he was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor, said his wife, Bernadette Lombard. "The only sign he had was that his left leg was losing strength," she recalled. "It was messing up his golf game." The funeral mass for Lombard will be at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Our Lady of the Mountain Catholic Church, Ashland. Lombard served as a state representative for District 52 from 1977 to 1985. State legislators on Thursday passed a resolution honoring the Republican known for his ability to work with lawmakers in both parties. "He would compromise on any issue but his principles," recalled state Sen. Len Hannon, R-Ashland, a longtime family friend. "Integrity — that epitomizes Kip Lombard." Lombard left the Legislature in 1985 to spend more time with his family and to concentrate on professional interests of water law and estate planning. A former lobbyist for the Oregon Water Resources Congress, Lombard became well-versed in all aspects of water issues, Hannon said. At his death, he was vice-chair of the American Bar Association Water Committee and was co-chair of planning the 2003 annual Water Law Conference in San Diego, Calif. "Kip Lombard probably knew more about water law than any single person in Oregon," Hannon said. "It affected court decisions, legislation and water users from orchardists to cities." As a lawyer with the Ashland firm Lombard, Knudsen & Holtey, Lombard was known for his analytical mind and his ethics, recalled partner Jud Holtey. "I litigated with him and that’s where you learn a lot about somebody," he said, noting that Lombard had a keen memory, especially for details of client cases. "He was brilliant." An Eagle Scout who still served on the executive council of the local Boy Scouts of America chapter, Lombard epitomized traditional values, said Ed Weiseth, executive director of the local. "He was one of those guys who was willing to step up and get involved," Weiseth said. "He really lived the Scout oath." Lombard was born Benjamin "Kip" Lombard Jr. on Sept. 2, 1940 in Seattle, Wash. He moved to Ashland with his family as a young boy and attended the city’s schools, graduating from Ashland High School in 1958. He graduated with honors from the University of Oregon in 1962, a member of the school’s first Honor College. He graduated from the University of Michigan Law School in 1965. He began practicing law in 1967 with a Portland firm. Lombard returned to Ashland in 1972 to raise his family and practice law. In addition to his legislative service, Lombard also was active on dozens of community boards and groups. Colleagues have established a scholarship in Lombard’s name with the Jackson County Bar Association. Contributions can be made to 201 W. Main St., Suite 400, or P.O. Box 1667, Medford, OR 97504. "He accomplished a lot of his goals," his wife recalled. "He wanted to be an expert in some area of his profession, and he wanted a strong family, and he had all of those things." Lombard and his wife would have been married 33 years next month. The couple have three sons, Christopher, Ian and Russell, and an 8-month-old grandson, Samuel. "I always thought of him as my treasure," Bernadette Lombard recalled. "He was." Reach reporter JoNel Aleccia at 776-4465, or e-mail [email protected] Printer Friendly Version Email Story to a Friend Subscribe Archive: Click to Search Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2003 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback A D V E R T I S E R S