Garner Pool, a 60-plus year member of United Food and Commercial Workers Local 555, died Jan. 3 at age 90.
A barber by trade, Pool served on the Executive Board of Local 555, as well as on the executive boards of union locals prior to a major merger in 1986 that created Local 555. He worked as a union barber in Albany, Oregon, until 2012.
Pool was a charter member of the Linn, Benton, and Lincoln Counties Central Labor Council, AFL-CIO. It was founded in 1948.
Garner Pool was born in Brentwood, Arkansas, on May 30, 1923. His family moved to Oregon in 1934, where he graduated from Shedd High School in 1941.
Pool served in the U.S. Navy from 1942-48. He was active in the American Legion and VFW. He helped create the Linn County Veterans Memorial. He was the VFW veteran of the year in 2001 and 2003, American Legion veteran of the year in 2007, and grand marshal of the Albany Veterans Day Parade in 2009.
Pool was preceded in death by his first wife of 51 years, Myrtle.
He is survived by his second wife, Arlene; four daughters; two sons; 13 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the Linn County Veterans Memorial or the American Legion Post 10 Building Fund in care of Fisher Funeral Home, 306 SW Washington St. Albany Or. 97321.
