It was a year ago that Steve Brandon, the long-time Portland sportswriter, died of a heart attack at age 68.

Brandon was most well-known to readers for his nine years covering the Trail Blazers for The Oregonian in the 1990s, but he also served 19 years as sports editor of the Portland Tribune. He spent nearly 50 years working for Portland newspapers — he began working part-time while at Cleveland High.

If there were ever anyone who was totally dedicated to his profession, it was Brandon.

“Steve worked every day, and damn near all day, making sure each sports section met his standards,” said Joel Fowlks, a Portland attorney who worked with Brandon at the Tribune. “It was the work of two or three people, and that’s not an exaggeration.”

Brandon was a soft-spoken, gentle soul who loved sports and writing and made a positive impression on anyone he met. For the last year of his life, he wrote sports for the 3,500-circulation Polk County Itemizer-Advertiser weekly. The money came in handy, but mostly, he was bored, and he enjoyed writing. He tackled the job in earnest, doing what he could to make the sports section look as professional as possible.

His widow, Carol Brandon, is now spearheading an effort to fund a sports journalism college scholarship in Steve’s name through the Oregon Office of Student Access and Completion.

Donors can contribute in one of two ways.

• Go to the OSAC website and complete the online form. For the scholarship option, select “Steve Brandon Sports Journalism Scholarship”.

• Or write a check. On the memo line, write “for the Steve Brandon Sports Journalism Scholarship: 919.” Make the check payable to:

Higher Education Coordinating Commission/OSAC

3225 25th St. SE

Salem, OR 97302

The Higher Education Coordinating Commission/OSAC will send you a confirmation receipt. All contributions are appreciated. May Steve’s legacy live on.

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