The person who was killed in a collision with an Amtrak train operator last Friday has been identified as 58-year-old Wayne Houff.
According to friends and coworkers, Houff was a paralegal who dedicated his life to helping people navigate the criminal justice system. He served over 20 years in prison and a friend and colleague of his who contacted BikePortland said he rode a scooter because his incarceration made him ineligible for a driver’s license.
The nonprofit Adults in Custody posted a memorial to Houff on Instagram. “He never let the system define him,” it says. “Instead, he studied it—mastered it. Wayne became the go-to for incarcerated people trying to navigate a system designed to break them. He didn’t just read case law—he rewrote futures.”
Here’s more from AIC:
“I vowed to learn everything I could about the Just Us system—not just for me, but for everyone who didn’t have a voice.” That vow never faded. Even after release, Wayne kept showing up—for those still inside, for those newly free, for anyone who needed guidance, compassion, or just someone who understood.
He was a man of many talents. A journeyman builder. A visual artist whose work hung in galleries. A volunteer at Blanchet House. A fisherman. A friend. Wayne could talk law one minute and crack a joke the next. He made people feel seen. Safe. Heard.”
Houff was engaged to be married and I’ve heard that his fiancé will attend Sunday’s World Day of Remembrance event. More on that event, here.
