Northwest labor press., April 20, 2007, Page 5, Image 5

Heart attack claims Laborers Local 296 Letter Carriers to collect
business manager Little Richard Steward food on Saturday, May 12
L.R. “Little Richard” Steward, busi-
ness manager/secretary-treasurer of
Portland Laborers Local 296, died at
his home on April 4. Cause of death
was a heart attack. He was 58.
Steward was a 27-year member of
the union, having worked in the Port-
land shipyards. He started as a laborer
and worked his way to leadman and su-
perintendent.
He was appointed business repre-
sentative of Local 296 in 1992 and was
named business manager in 1994, suc-
ceeding Jack Watterson.
Steward was active in the commu-
nity and the labor movement as a
whole. He served as a delegate or offi-
cer to the Pacific Coast Metal Trades
Council and the Columbia-Pacific
Building Trades Council. He was on
the board of directors of Labor’s Com-
munity Service Agency and was in-
volved with the Metropolitan Alliance
for Common Good.
L.R. Steward was born on July 14,
1948, in Malden, Missouri. He was
raised on a farm and spent many hours
fixing things around the house.
He graduated from Lilbourn East
High School in Lilbourn, Missouri.
He traveled and worked in several
Some 3,000 letter carriers in Oregon and Clark County, Wash., will help “Stamp
Out Hunger” on Saturday, May 12, part of the annual National Association of Let-
ter Carriers Food Drive.
Prior to May 12, bags will be delivered to every household. All you have to do
is fill the bag with nonperishable food and leave it at your mailbox.
Letter Carriers will collect the bags and deliver them to drop points, where vol-
unteers will sort the donations and forward them to the Oregon Food Bank.
“The food drive is particularly important this year due to a drop in the amount
of food we receive from the U.S. Department of Agriculture,” said Rachel Bristol,
executive director of the Oregon Food Bank. “Last we saw a dramatic 26 percent
decline in USDA product — a drop of 2.3 million pounds of food. We continue to
look for additional sources of food to make up the loss.”
Last year, the NALC Food Drive collected 1.4 million pounds of food for the
Oregon Food Bank network. This year’s goal is 1.5 million pounds.
The NALC Food Drive is the largest one-day collection of the year for the Port-
land metropolitan area, said Rick Ukena of the Oregon Food Bank. “The hard
work of the letter carriers and the generosity of the postal customers helps us meet
the demand for emergency food in Oregon and Southwest Washington,” he said.
states, including Florida and California,
before landing in Oregon.
In the ’70s he owned and operated a
barbeque restaurant called “Pig on the
Pit.” He also owned several car lots. He
enjoyed restoring cars and riding his
motorcycle — but only on Sundays.
Steward was an avid softball player
and boxer, although he never disclosed
his record.
He is preceded in death by his par-
ents, Everrie and Edithe Steward, and
two sisters.
Steward is survived by nine chil-
dren; five step-children; two adopted
children; 21 grandchildren; four great-
grandchildren; two sisters; a brother
and a host of nieces and nephews.
Funeral services were held April 17
at Highland Community Christian Cen-
ter.
Labor appreciation dinner June 2
The Northwest Oregon Labor Council hosts the 10th annual Labor Apprecia-
tion and Recognition Night Saturday, June 2, at Westmoreland Union Manor.
This year’s theme is “Hat Madness,” so don your favorite lid for the dinner
and awards ceremony, which serves as a fundraiser for Labor’s Community Ser-
vice Agency’s Emergency Fund. The fund helps union members who have been
laid off, are on strike, or experiencing some type of financial difficulty.
The labor council will be accepting nominations for persons to be recognized
for their contributions to the labor community until May 18. The council also is
accepting cash and prize donations for the raffle.
For more information or to order tickets, call 503-235-9444.
Michael E. Hardeman, Business Representative
Sign & Display Local 510
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APRIL 20. 2007
NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS
©2007 Union Bank of California, N.A. Member FDIC
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