Todd Russell Kimball (b. September 9, 1968; d. February 19, 2025) originally of Danville, California, passed away on February 19 at the age of 56 in Portland, Oregon. Todd was born with cerebral palsy and lived a life of freedom and independence with the help of his wheelchair and strength of spirit. He was a longtime resident of downtown Portland and loved the city for its accessibility, extensive public transit system, and community. Todd was active in the social, cultural, and business life of the city, including Multnomah Athletic Club (MAC), Toastmasters, Humanists of Greater Portland, and CounterCulture Church.

A celebration of life will be held on Saturday, March 8, at 3:00 pm in the historic Portland Womans Club's West End Theater at 1220 SW Taylor St, Portland, Oregon, 97205, home of our hosts CounterCulture Church, "Where Skeptics are Welcome." Please RSVP on the Event page of this memorial website if you are planning to attend in person. For anyone who can't be there, the service will be recorded and live streamed via YouTube at https://www.counterculture.ch…

Todd was energetic, compassionate and a bright light. He made each person in his life feel special. He cared deeply about others and was eager to listen, learn, and problem-solve in trying to help. He was ambitious with ideas to transform organizations, many of which he was able to implement. He loved to laugh and loved life. He also loved telling stories, whether in person, on his radio show, at Toastmasters or in an organization's spotlight. If you travelled with him on downtown streets and on the MAX light rail trains, you felt like you were with a celebrity as countless people would approach him to say hello and chat.

Todd grew up in Danville, California, where he attended public school as the first "mainstreamed" student with disabilities in the state of California. He spent a couple of months of each summer in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, where his grandparents had a lake cabin. There he developed a love of swimming, fishing, and radio.

A sports enthusiast and lifelong Oakland A's fan, Todd also rooted for the San Francisco Giants and later the Arizona Diamondbacks. He was originally an Oakland Raiders football fan but never forgave Al Davis for the first move to Los Angeles, so became a San Francisco 49ers fan in 1982 and remained so. He was also a diehard Golden State Warriors basketball fan, even through the difficult years.

Todd went to Fresno State University where he worked in radio as a sportscaster for Bulldogs basketball games and as a sports talk-radio host. After graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance, Todd earned his Master's in Business Administration degree at University of Arizona, where he was Graduate Student of the Year. He completed the Washington Campus Program in the District of Columbia, enhancing collaboration between MBA graduates and public policy leaders.

He then settled in Tempe, AZ, and later Phoenix for what would be over twenty years. Todd pursued various passions including owning a racehorse, working in finance, and co-hosting (with Greg Smith) a national syndicated radio show for the disability community called On A Roll. In this period, as always, he was a tireless advocate for disability rights.

After the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Todd forced Greyhound Bus to comply with the law and install wheelchair lifts by staging a protest in which he continuously rode their coaches back and forth between Phoenix and Las Vegas for weeks. Finally they relented due to the burden of baggage handlers carrying him and his heavy power wheelchair on and off the bus at each boarding and arrival!

Todd and his then wife Sarah moved from Arizona to Portland in 2002. Though they would later divorce, Todd and Sarah enjoyed exploring Portland and participating in all of its activities. Todd became involved with Toastmasters, Humanists, stand-up comedy, and many intersecting communities and projects.

He had an entrepreneurial spirit and founded the 24-hour temporary employment company Moonlight Staffing, which introduced him to business leaders and workers across the city. He later founded the non-profit organization United by Media, which gave people with developmental disabilities a greater voice in the community as journalist reviewers of theater, comedy shows, concerts, and dance performances. United by Media fostered friendship, educational opportunities, and civic participation for its community of citizen reporters.

Over the decades, Todd preferred working in jobs that featured excitement, intrigue, good people and meaningful stories. Jobs included taking large horse racing wagers in a fast-paced phone center, working as a U-Haul problem solver in their headquarters, and an extensive career as a consultant and case manager for disability agencies Bethesda, Abilitree, Goodwill Industries, and Vocational Rehabilitation. In recent years, he had transitioned to working in real estate and described Living Room Realty as the greatest place he had ever worked.

From 2022-2024, Todd and caregiver Jared had planned a 50-state travel tour with the intention of "escaping the Portland bubble" and building connections with people with disabilities in every state during 2025. Their plans were cut short, but their vision for community-building by finding common ground on both sides of the political aisle, and among folks of every level of abilities and challenges, remains.

Todd had a big heart, loved deeply, and leaves behind a wide circle of friends. He is predeceased by his parents, Thomas Russell Kimball and Jane Drugswall Kimball both of Harrison, Idaho. He is survived by his sister, Danise Kimball, of Lyme, New Hampshire. Jared Kennedy, Kristin Fein, Elizabeth Mintz, and Juli Colson were longtime devoted caregivers and friends. He also leaves behind his partner Karissa and her young child Aiden.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the disability-centered Portland organization Community Vision cvision.org which hosts an assistive technology lab Todd dreamed of partnering with on his master plan, The Disability Showroom House (where people experiencing disabilities could stay overnight and try out assistive equipment, with sponsorship from technology manufacturers).

You can also read the official obituary on legacy.com here: https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/legacyremembers/todd-kimball-obituary?id=57673189

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