OCC’s Marion County President, Joel Pawloski, Passes

Kerry McQuisten
Jul 14
1 min read

SALEM, OR—July 14, 2025—Oregon Conservative Caucus (OCC) is deeply saddened to announce the passing of Joel Pawloski, President of its Marion County chapter. Joel succumbed to lung cancer at 6:48 pm last Saturday after fighting a valiant one-year battle. Joel was a Christian, a patriot, a devoted family man, and a warrior on many fronts. A retired Army Lt. Colonel, he served his country faithfully and carried that love over into his volunteer work for Oregon.

Before serving on the OCC, Joel was Chair of the Marion County Republican Party. He and his team broke fundraising records for that county. Under his leadership, they were instrumental in fighting off a disastrous new tax in Salem, and they won 11 of the 13 open seats they targeted. As President of the Oregon Conservative Caucus of Marion County, he recruited its biggest group in any county, and went on to earn the organization’s top award in May of this year.

Joel was with loved ones when he passed. A service with full military honors will be held at his church, The River Church in Salem, at a to-be-determined date.

The OCC Board of Directors - Kerry McQuisten, Solomon Yue, Jean Sampson, Russ Walker and Randy Pullen – invites the community to join in a prayer of support for his wife, Susan, as she begins to take these difficult next steps.

OCC, an all-volunteer 501(c)(4) nonprofit, was founded in 2024 with a focus on registering Republicans, getting out the vote, and grassroots education. More information can be found at www.OregonConservativeCaucus.com.

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