Labor mourns death of Local 36’s Quigley

Patrick J. Quigley, president and 26-year member of Portland-based Asbestos Workers Local 36, died at his home Sept. 6 following a short battle with liver cancer. He was 52.

Quigley was born Sept. 21, 1950 in Vancouver and was raised in Portland. He attended Holy Redeemer Grade School, Benson High School and graduated from North Catholic High School in 1968.

He joined Local 36 in 1977. In addition to president, he served the local as recording secretary, vice president, Executive Board member, political action director and as a delegate to the Oregon State Building Trades Council and Labor Roundtable of Southwest Washington.

He was active in state and national politics. In his honor, the Columbia-Pacific Building and Construction Trades Council will rename its annual “Organizer of the Year” award after Quigley; Local 36 established the Patrick L. Quigley Humanitarian Award, which will honor a member annually; and, at the Oregon AFL-CIO convention last week in Albany, delegates approved an annual award for union political activists to be named in honor of Quigley.

“Pat Quigley was a sparkplug in the Labor 2000 and 2002 campaigns,” state labor federation President Tim Nesbitt said.

An avid off-shore yacht racer, Quigley was a member of Corinthian Yacht Club and Portland Yacht Club. His sail-mates plan to bury at sea a memento of his life.

In 1981, Quigley married Gayle Wright. His survivors include his wife; daughter, Amy; son, Jake; sister, Mary George; brothers, Mike and Tom; and granddaughter, Zoe.

© Oregon Labor Press Publishing Co. Inc.