Alec Richard Dulude

Alec was born on September 27, 1995, in Salem, OR, to parents Pamela Olson and Richard Dulude. In his childhood, Alec was an adorable, curly-haired spitfire who kept everyone around him on their toes. Always curious about the way things worked, Alec was a gifted problem solver who was happiest while redesigning the water feature in the yard, building forts in the woods, fixing sprinklers, working on yard lighting, and wiring up sound systems. Alec was a wonderful brother to his younger sister, Allison, with whom he produced numerous backyard karaoke shows, shared summer days on the slip-and-slide, baked homemade apple pies every Thanksgiving, and spent innumerable hours watching Harry Potter movies. She was his accomplice in his continuous shenanigans, and they could be found playing outside on any given day of their childhood.

Known for his adventurous spirit, intelligence, kind heart, mischievous smile, authenticity, and witty sense of humor, Alec lived his life with zest, intensity, and passion. His early love of the outdoors was nurtured through countless camping and whitewater rafting trips with his family across the western United States, Canada, and Alaska. Alec treasured these trips and the memories created from these adventures. While in elementary school, he began going on an annual, week-long rafting trip on the Lower Deschutes River. These trips, with loving family and friends, provided superb fly fishing, exciting white-water, crystal-clear night skies, ruthless water-gun flights, and endless laughter. Music formally entered his life at Crossler Middle School where he picked up the saxophone and found a use for all his hot air. Jazz and concert band brought Alec some of his most precious friendships, along with teaching him the importance of perseverance. A very compassionate soul, Alec had a soft spot for animals and loved cuddling with our Golden Retriever, Murphy, and his cats, Loafers, and Chester

While attending Sprague High School, his passion for skiing surged. He found a special enthusiasm for freestyle skiing, spending countless days on Mt. Hood and Mt. Bachelor. Alec’s typical day on Mt. Hood started first thing in the morning at Timberline, and when the lifts closed, he took the three-mile Glade Trail down to Government Camp, and then he transitioned to night skiing at Ski Bowl until the lifts closed. He enjoyed using his GoPro to film the exploits of his friends and family jumping and rail riding on skis and snowboards, backpacking, mountain biking, and whitewater rafting. Always athletic, Alec participated in organized soccer from age five until he shifted to water polo during his junior year, a sport that favored his physicality, strength, and love of water. It was no surprise that his favorite subject in high school was AP Physics, as he had always been fascinated with learning how things worked and figuring out all sorts of gadgets. Designing and building a stationary bike power station that generated electricity was his favorite project.

After graduating from Sprague in 2014, Alec attended Oregon State University, where he studied engineering and was one of the few walk-on student-athletes to make the rowing team. He relished his time with his teammates and coaches and traveled to Victoria BC, Seattle, and the San Francisco Bay area for competitions. In the summer of 2015, Alec became a wildland firefighter for the US Forest Service in Wyoming and fought fires in Glacier National Park. As a young adult, he thoroughly enjoyed brewing beer with his father and the homebrew club at Oregon State University. Alec also worked as a bicycle mechanic at OSU in the Adventure Leadership Institute, where he took advantage of the whitewater guiding class on the McKenzie River through which he became a certified guide.

The last six years of Alec’s life were incredibly challenging, as Alec struggled with physical and mental health symptoms that only recently were diagnosed as the result of tick-borne infections. Alec’s illness forced him to withdraw from OSU during his junior year of college. Over the years, he and his family sought help in many places, trying to discover why his health continued to decline. Throughout this fight, Alec was brave, steadfast, and determined to regain his health. His strong-willed nature helped him deal with life’s challenges.

There are no words to express the loss that resides in the hearts of all those who knew and loved our dear, fearless Alec. This sadness is accompanied by the fact that although his illness made his life challenging, we take solace, mindfulness, and pride in knowing that he lived life to the fullest. We are comforted by friends and family who have touched us with memories of our sweet son and brother.

Alec was an incredibly strong fighter, and he is now rafting down a river, free from pain, peacefully navigating crystal-clear waters.

Alec is survived and greatly missed by Pam Olson and Rick Dulude (parents), Allison Dulude (sister), Bill Olson (grandfather), Jo Dulude, (grandmother), aunts and uncles: Linda and Dave Olson, Sally and Mark Sheehan, Aimee and Jim Dulude, Jane and Steve Dulude, and Leslie and Brian Rolfe; as well as numerous cousins: Jenessa Olson, Richie Olson, Elliot Olson, Evan Sheehan, Dione Sheehan, Kyle Dulude, Tyler Dulude, Caitin Aslor, Conner Black, Jack Dulude, Grant Dulude, Charlie Dulude, Samantha Rolfe, and Mitchel Rolfe.

All are invited to attend Alec’s Celebration of Life, Saturday, June 3, 2023, at 11 am, at First United Methodist Church, Micah Building (680 State St, Salem, OR)

Should you feel so inclined, you are welcome to make a memorial contribution to those listed below.