Bend man joins Oregon State Marine Board

The Oregon State Marine Board has welcomed a new member, Craig Withee, who represents recreational boaters in Central Oregon.

Withee is a retired civil engineer who relocated to Bend in 2013 after spending over 30 years of his professional career in Alaska.

After becoming a paraplegic from a car accident in 1969, Withee completed his college education with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering in 1973 and a master’s degree in environmental engineering in 1975 from the University of Colorado.

His 38-year professional career was spent in facilities engineering, operations and management for the Department of Army and the Federal Aviation Administration.

Throughout his life, Withee has maintained a love for the outdoors, especially for boating, cruising, fishing, and hunting. He’s owned and operated many motorized and non-motorized boats in lakes, rivers and the ocean, including Alaska bush country, busy ocean harbors, and large river drainages.

Withee’s outdoor enthusiasm has continued into retirement with boating on the high lakes and rivers in Central Oregon and the coastal communities in Reedsport, Florence and Newport. Most of his outdoor experiences have included his wheelchair, which has not hampered his pursuit for life and adventure.

“Whether it was floating remote waters, jet boating whitewater rapids or cruising in a bay, boating has always provided me with challenges, serenity, camaraderie and fulfillment over the years,” Withee said. “Life for me would have been incomplete if those opportunities were not available.”

Member Withee’s term begins in October and ends on June 30, 2021.