Mid Valley loses long time judge, sports supporter

Ex-Polk County judge Charles Luukinen also was a basketball official, Hoopla Volunteer

A longtime state judge in the mid-Willamette Valley who also had close ties to local sports among his many ventures, has died.

Charles “Charlie” Luukinen passed away last Friday at the age of 75.  He served as a District, then Circuit Court Judge in Polk County—beginning in 1986. He served as a trial judge in all manner of cases, including one of the first in Oregon involving DNA evidence, and shared that he enjoyed watching good lawyers work in the court room.  He retired from the bench in 2010.

Judge Charles Luukinen and his wife, Val. Photo from PERS Retirees, Inc.

Luukinen served as both a high school and college basketball referee for 35 years. He worked more than a handful of games I broadcast in the greater Salem-Keizer area during the 1990s and early 2000s in particular.  He and I would chat briefly before games on a limited basis, and he did share how much he enjoyed watching young athletes compete.  Long time official Randall Goree recalls Charlie being a great influence.

“You always knew the game was going to go well when you worked with Charlie,” recalls Goree.

“He helped many of us younger/newer officials with learning how to officiate.”

Charles also served as commissioner of the Salem Area Basketball Officials Association—also assigning referees to games during the season—for five years total. Goree says the judge was a “great” commissioner who had a way with words in explaining things.  It was a gift that also made Charles popular with many others—and got him invited to participate in officials training at various camps locally.

The judge’s son, Bryan, was an athlete at South Salem High whose basketball games I broadcast. Charlie and could be seen watching Bryan’s games, as he had with his two other children. In his own quiet way, Charlie had a way to show great pride in his son’s performances.

The judge was also involved with the giant Hoopla 3-on-3 basketball tournament held near the State Capitol in Salem. He and his wife Val have been life-time volunteers at the huge event every summer since it began in 1999.  Charlie was the head of referees, wearing the same tie-dye shirt as his colleagues, while his wife was head of the hospitality “tent.”

The judge told former Statesman Journal sportswriter Gary Horowitz in 2017 that although some compensation is offered for his services, he would always decline payment.

“I kind of think everybody owes something back to the community and to the things that they’re involved in. It’s a good thing for the community and something that’s worth volunteering my time in.”

Charles Luukinen could have just “stayed in his lane” and only addressed issues involving the law.  But he was not just a well-respected judge, but also a father, and a sports fan.  He shared his talents in those areas of passion in his personal life.  And we all were all made better for his involvement.

RIP, your honor. And thanks.