Arie C. de Groot

Arie C. de Groot JD ’82 passed away January 23, 2021, in Portland. He was 73.

Born in Indonesia to a Dutch father and an Indonesian mother who were prisoners of war during World War II, Arie moved with his family to the Netherlands in 1950 and subsequently immigrated to Klamath Falls, Oregon. He followed his brother Gerrit to the University of Denver, where Arie ran track and played soccer and still holds multiple scoring records.

After college Arie joined the U.S. Army and was stationed in several locations, including Rotterdam in the Netherlands. He returned to Denver with his first wife and only child and worked there as a realtor before starting law school. Arie practiced law in Portland for several years before being called to active duty as an Army reservist to serve at San Francisco’s Presidio during Operation Desert Storm. Following that service, he returned to Klamath Falls and joined two of his brothers in starting and managing a real estate business. He also served as the executive director for Klamath Family Head Start, maintained a solo private law practice, taught classes at the Oregon Institute of Technology, and coached soccer at a local high school.

Arie will be remembered for his friendly smile, sense of humor, generosity, thoughtfulness, willingness to help those in need, and many contributions to his family and the community.

Arie is survived by his son, Cliff; two grandchildren, Nicholas and Lauren; 10 siblings; and numerous nephews and nieces. He is preceded in death by his parents, Arie and Maria de Groot.