Alex Newport-Berra, 33, of Ashland, Oregon, left us on July 20, 2014, in the midst of the beauty and majesty of the Rocky Mountains outside of Silverton, Colorado. He was born on June 14th, 1981. Alex lived every day, every hour, indeed, every minute, to its fullest…taking in the joy, the beauty, the wonder and the magic of everyone and everything around him.

This website is dedicated to our Sun, Brother, Friend, and Lover. We invite friend and stranger alike to explore Alex’s life, get inspired, and to celebrate and appreciate Alex’s eternal spirit.

Alex has always been an explorer. His adventures began in the Willamette Valley amongst the splendor of McDonald Forest, where he was raised. The wilderness of his homeland inspired Alex to seek nature’s beauty everywhere, and his travels took him to places like Hawaii, Utah, Montana, Italy and Costa Rica. Each journey was accompanied and inspired by sport, and no matter which sport Alex embraced — climbing, running, cycling, yoga, surfing, skiing or hiking — he did it with focus, passion and a respect for, and love of, nature. He found both solace and wild inspiration in the mountains, hills, rocks, dirt and waves. Alex was a driven perfectionist who acutely trained his body and mind, yet also understood the importance of being still, and practiced quietude with grace.

Alex was, and continues to be, an incredibly gifted and compassionate teacher. He most recently taught math at the Siskiyou School, mentored and tutored youth in the Ashland area, and taught yoga at Bikram Yoga of Ashland. While living in Corvallis, he worked as a teacher’s aide at Linus Pauling Middle School and at Bikram Yoga of Corvallis. In these roles, and in his everyday interactions, he inspired and empowered youth and adults alike — to believe in themselves, to challenge themselves, and to appreciate and strive to better understand the physical and spiritual world around them. Alex listened to and learned from those he touched, and drew great inspiration from his students, friends and family. This mutual inspiration is best captured by one of his very own quotations: “May each pilot their own ship, and may your life’s passion be a wind to fill others’ sails.”

Alex was a writer and storyteller; his words are sincere, insightful, creative, always entertaining and often funny. Through his stories, poetry and other writings, he shares his appreciation for nature, and his wisdom of the rhythm of the physical and spiritual world. Anyone who feels his presence can sense infinite wisdom, yet an uncanny, youthful naiveté. Much of his writing can be found on his blog, or on the writing page of this website

Having graduated from Crescent Valley High School in 1999, Alex attended Oregon State University, and later graduated from the University of Hawaii.

Alex was a committed and loving son, brother and uncle. He is survived by his parents, Pat Newport and Harold Burton (Buzz) Berra Jr.; brother, Adam Newport-Berra; sister, McHale Newport-Berra; brother-in-law, Samidh Chakrabarti; and niece, Kaya Chakra-Berra.

Alex’s physical body left us while doing what he loved. Words cannot express how much he will be missed, but Alex continues to live on through his infinite manifestations in nature. Alex invites you to look to the trees, mountains and waves, to find the magic in your own life.