In Memoriam

American Federation of Musicians Local 257 in Nashville mourns the country icon.

A member of Oregon Nurses Association, Porter was an outspoken advocate for seniors and led the Oregon Alliance for Retired Americans.

An important figure in local labor, he spent 25 years as member, officer, and staff in AFSCME and 18 years as a rep at UFCW Local 555.

The UFCW leader negotiated hundreds of contracts lifting standards in meat.

For three decades he helped train ironworkers and served Local 29 as an officer.

At Oregon Tradeswomen, Thompson helped train women in the trades to speak to women and girls about careers in the skilled trades.

At CWA Local 7901, Sturbois was the kind of dedicated union political volunteer who made an endorsement matter.

Gritz served as leader of the Laborers union in Eastern Oregon for decades, and was a big part of leadership in the state building trades.

A former Democratic Party chair in Multnomah and Clatsop counties, he served unions and other groups as a convention parliamentarian.

A dedicated union worker, she had a lifelong commitment to Democratic politics and led campaign work for Northwest Oregon Labor Council.

A former Laborers Local 296 business manager, he helped build Portland in more than 30 years as a member of the union.

Oregon School Employee Association's first female president left a legacy of solidarity.

Jane McAlevey, a seasoned union organizer and prolific writer, died July 7 at age 59 after a battle with multiple myeloma.

She put her organizational skills to work for CWA, the Northwest Labor Press, and Oregon State Industrial Union Council.

The former IBEW Local 48 business manager helped move the union hall and set up the union's market recovery and flex benefits plans.

Richard Harmon, an influential community organizer and mentor to generations of organizers, died Feb. 6 in Portland.

Mike Sullivan was a tireless advocate for steel and paper mill workers and a dedicated proponent of universal health care.

The Eugene fire fighter and Lane County Central Labor Council leader helped pass Oregon’s public worker union law.

Former Plasterers Local 82 business manager Don McKinnon died Dec. 15 at the age of 79. McKinnon was business manager from 1984 to 2022.

He joined Bakers Local 114 in 1952, and led the union as executive secretary-treasurer for a decade before his retirement in 1992.