Arthur Norris Torland

Art Torland was born on a farm near Bowdon, ND and died in Milwaukie, OR at age 95. He and his family moved to Tigard, OR in 1934 where he worked for several years at Alpenrose Dairy. He married Mildred Swanson in Spokane, WA in 1944 while he was serving the U.S. Army. After his service, the couple settled in Tigard and had three children. Art worked for 22 years as a medical technologist and lab supervisor for Portland Adventist Medical Center. Millie died in 1965 and Art subsequently married Bessie Montgomery, a widow with two children.

In 1959 Art began supplementing his income by providing animal blood products, used in microbiology testing, to the laboratory where he worked, and soon to other hospital laboratories. The business grew, and Art resigned his lab position in 1968 to devote himself full-time to his growing animal blood business. In 1969 he and his brother founded Prepared Media Laboratory (later known as PML Microbiologicals, Inc.), a manufacturer of microbiological culture media. That company would become one of the leading manufacturers of diagnostic microbiology products in the U.S. and Canada.

Art retired in 1982 but stayed active until he suffered disabilities from a stroke following surgery in 1996. Through determination and physical therapy he regained his ability to walk, talk, and even drive again.

Art is survived by his wife, Bessie, son Ron, daughters Mary Lou Ham and Joanne Johnson, and step-children Craig Montgomery and Marcia Drake; eleven grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren. A memorial service has been held.