Pamela Kniffin’s path to Illahe began with a career that took her far beyond Oregon. She started in auditing in 1980, working primarily with papermills and traveling extensively—often spending close to 75 percent of her time on the road. Her work took her throughout the United States, including Louisiana, and overseas to France.

At that time, Pam was working for Boise Cascade while based in Idaho. In 1983, she moved to Oregon for Boise Cascade, a shift that marked a turning point in both location and lifestyle. After years of constant travel, the relocation to Salem represented an opportunity to slow down and build something more rooted–reinforced by a trip to Waco, Texas that proved useful for perspective, before it became a destination spot.

After Jim graduated from Willamette University he returned home to the Bay area for 2 years.  Then he returned to Salem and began a career in Financial Services which he has worked for 45 years.

That next chapter came into focus thanks to an introduction that nearly didn’t happen. Pam and Jim shared coworkers and acquaintances—Jim and Bonnie Levers—who repeatedly tried to introduce them. After many polite declines, the two were finally “tricked” into meeting, invited to lunch under false pretenses. Fortunately, it turned out to be a very good decision. Pam and Jim celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary last year.

In the early 1990s, the Kniffins were living in Dorchester Heights when a friend, Kathy Mink, told Pam about five-acre plots becoming available in Illahe. The Minks were the first to build on the acreage, and the Kniffins soon followed. Before the land was developed into five-acre parcels, the area carried a distinctly agricultural feel, with neighbors grazing Cheviot sheep and Shropshire sheep across open fields. Today, the homes remain nestled along streets named for those very breeds, a quiet nod to Illahe’s pastoral beginnings.

Their home was built by Kaufman Homes and has been thoughtfully renovated over the years as the family and their needs evolved. In 2026, Pam and Jim will celebrate 30 years in their Cheviot house.

The land itself has lived many lives. In March of 2009, the Kniffins planted a vineyard, adding another chapter to the property’s story. Over time, the open acreage shifted from soccer and football fields for the boys to wedding celebrations held on the lawn, a space that has continued to adapt as family, friends, and community gathered there.

Around 2008, challenges emerged when wells in the area began drying up. As neighboring households experienced similar water loss, Pam worked with the City to help find a long-term solution. Residents were allowed to connect to water lines from Bailey Ridge, installing pipes to City standards and building a pumping station to push water to the top of the hill. The Illahe Acreage Water Association was formed so neighbors could purchase water in bulk and be billed individually for usage. As development continued along Illahe Hills Road toward Chambers Road, the City eventually tied into the system, the pumps were removed, and the Association was dissolved, securing reliable water access for the neighborhood’s future.

The Kniffins have continued to care for and improve their home, including a deck remodel completed by Gabe Laudette of Laudette Construction, with On Pointe Fencing building the deck cover featuring adjustable louvres.

Pam and Jim are parents to fraternal twins Kyle and Adam, now 35, and their daughter Lindsay, 38. They are also proud grandparents to seven grandchildren. As a family, they are big fans of the University of Oregon and spent many years taking their kids to games while they were growing up, traditions that remain part of their shared story.

From early agricultural roots and vineyard rows to advocacy, celebration, and a home filled with friends and family, the Kniffins’ life in Illahe reflects decades of commitment, not just to each other, but to the land and community they have helped shape.