Jim Rue, former director of the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development, has died.

He died at his home earlier this week following a brief battle with cancer.

Rue, who retired from the DLCD on April 29, was an advocate for Oregon and Oregon’s land use program. During his 12-year tenure at DLCD, Rue expanded its focus to increase housing and transportation options, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reach out to Oregonians who have not typically been included in important conversations about where and how to develop their neighborhoods.

He and his wife, Mignon, lived on working farmland in Marion County, where he spent his weekends tending the property, crops and goats.

After his retirement, Rue was replaced by Dr. Brenda Ortigoza Bateman.

“His contributions to this agency were significant and many,” Bateman said of her colleague in a news release. “His high regard for staff and vision for the future are things I try emulate as I steward DLCD in our work.”

Rue was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer only a few short weeks after retiring. Although
he had started to pursue treatment, he recently returned home to enter hospice care.

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