PHOTOS: Family, friends and Enchanted Forest fans remember Roger Tofte at Salem service

Members of the Tofte family look at the notecards written for Roger Tofte. (HAILEY COOK/Salem Reporter)

Hundreds of people gathered at the Oregon State Fairgrounds Pavilion Tuesday, May 12, to celebrate the life and legacy of Roger Tofte, founder of Enchanted Forest.

Tofte died Feb. 13, at the age of 96. His legacy of craftsmanship and tireless dedication lives on at the iconic theme park, located about 10 miles south of Salem. 

He is survived by four generations including children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren, many at the memorial. Before the service, guests circled the Pavilion floor to view displays of Tofte’s original sketches for the park, photographs from his life and displays chronicling his journey of building the theme park.

At one end of the floor, visitors could write notes in memory of Tofte and clip them to a wall. By the end of the evening, the wall was splattered with dozens of multicolored notecards, many sharing stories of the park, memories of Tofte and offering well wishes to the Tofte family. 

A notecard written by Ashley Tofte reads, “I will never stop believing there is magic in the air there and it’s because of Roger.” (HAILEY COOK/Salem Reporter)

Several of Tofte’s relatives  took the stage to share stories. Never-before-seen footage of Tofte debuted, much of it spotlighting his passion and hands-on work that shaped the park. 

Tofte bought the Enchanted Forest property in 1964 when it was just 20 acres of trees and brush. He built the park’s attractions almost entirely by hand, from its famed Humpty Dumpty perched on a wall to Alice in Wonderland’s rabbit hole. It opened in 1971 to just 75 visitors. It saw 1,000 visitors a week later. 

The park is now moving into its 55th season – the first season without Tofte. 

His family will continue to run the theme park. They are planning a bronze statue of Tofte in his work clothes, holding a trowel and bucket  – a scene they often saw as he worked around the park.

“Enchanted Forest will continue to be family owned and operated, and we are carrying on our father’s legacy,” said Susan Vaslev, Tofte’s daughter. 

Franklin Fowler, 3, Roger Tofte’s great-great-grandson gazes up at a photo during the memorial service. (HAILEY COOK/Salem Reporter)
A program for the memorial service. (HAILEY COOK/Salem Reporter)
Several notecards line the wall at the memorial service. (HAILEY COOK/Salem Reporter)
Garrett Baker, Roger Tofte’s relative, watches a film he and his brother, Austin, made as a tribute. (HAILEY COOK/Salem Reporter)
Photos of Roger Tofte are displayed at the memorial service. (HAILEY COOK/Salem Reporter)
A visitor looks at a map of the Enchanted Forest. (HAILEY COOK/Salem Reporter)
Hundreds of guests fill the seats of the Pavilion floor for the service. (HAILEY COOK/Salem Reporter)
A message from Susan Vaslev to her father hangs on the notecard wall. (HAILEY COOK/Salem Reporter)
A guest looks at displays detailing Roger Tofte’s background. (HAILEY COOK/Salem Reporter)
A man in the audience tears up listening to the Tofte family speak about their father. (HAILEY COOK/Salem Reporter)
A visitor clips a notecard up. (HAILEY COOK/Salem Reporter)
A note written by Mayor Julie Hoy hangs on the wall of notecards. (HAILEY COOK/Salem Reporter)
Garrett and Austin Baker, Roger Tofte’s relatives, watch the credits of their film they made as a tribute. (HAILEY COOK/Salem Reporter)
Roger Tofte’s photo is displayed at the entryway of the Oregon State Fairground Pavilion for the public memorial service on Tuesday, May 12. (HAILEY COOK/Salem Reporter)
Roger Tofte’s original sketch of the park. (HAILEY COOK/Salem Reporter)
Guests fill out notecards for Roger Tofte. (HAILEY COOK/Salem Reporter)

Correction: This story originally misstated the date of the event. Salem Reporter apologizes for the error.

Have a news tip? Contact reporter Hailey Cook: [email protected] .

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Hailey Cook covers healthcare for Salem Reporter, from the city’s only hospital to local outlooks on health insurance coverage. She joined the newsroom in 2025, following the completion of an internship through the University of Oregon’s Charles Snowden Program for Excellence in Journalism. She also works as a photojournalist, capturing community events, government meetings and other gatherings.

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