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September 1, 2017 | NORTHWEST LABOR PRESS
IN MEMORIAM
Gary D. Kirkland
May 19, 1947 - Sept. 8, 2017
Gary Kirkland, a long-
time member of Office
and Professional Em-
ployees International
Union (OPEIU) Local
11, passed away Sept. 8,
2017, following a short
bout with cancer. He
was 70 years old.
Kirkland was involved with
OPEIU for 40 years. At the age
of 28 he was elected a vice pres-
ident to the international union’s
Executive Board, and he served
as an international representa-
tive. Prior to that he was an or-
ganizer and business representa-
tive for Local 11.
He was appointed secretary-
treasurer of Local 11 in January
1978, following the resignation
of Stu Crosby. Eight months
later, International President
Howard Coughlin appointed
him to be OPEIU’s regional di-
rector of organizing. The new re-
sponsibility came in addition to
his duties as head of Local 11,
and as an international vice pres-
ident. He served as Local 11’s
secretary-treasurer until May
2002, when he lost re-election.
During his tenure, Kirkland
negotiated landmark “joint ac-
cords” with NW Natural Gas
that guaranteed no layoffs. The
last contract he bargained in
1997 was a seven-year deal. It
was preceded by five-year and
three-year agreements guaran-
teeing no layoffs.
During his career Kirkland
also served on the Executive
Board of the Multnomah County
Labor Council (and later the
Northwest Oregon Labor Coun-
cil) as a representative of the
Maritime Trades Council. He
served for many years as
president of the Oregon La-
bor Press Publishing Co.
Board of Directors, and on
the Executive Board of the
Union Labor Retirement
Association, which operates
Kirkland Union Manors I,
II, and III, Westmoreland
Union Manor, Marshall Union
Manor, and Kirkland Union
Plaza. The federally-financed
apartment buildings for retired
workers carry the name of Kirk-
land’s father, labor leader Earl
Kirkland, who was a founder.
G ARY D EAN K IRKLAND was
born in Vancouver, Washington,
on May 19, 1947, to Earl B. and
Lois (Hash) Kirkland. After
graduating from Columbia River
High School in 1965, he at-
tended Clark Community Col-
lege while working at Alcoa
Aluminum. Kirkland enlisted
and served in the U.S. Army as
a transportation rank staff ser-
geant. After the military he en-
tered the apprenticeship program
of Heat and Frost Insulators Lo-
cal 36. Shortly after that he
started his career with OPEIU.
Kirkland is survived by his
wife, Nancy; son, Dean; daugh-
ter, Brandi M. Kirkland; their
mother, Janice M. (Mahoney);
two grandchildren; and three sis-
ters. He was preceded in death
by his son, Kristian; twin
brother, Larry; and his parents.
A memorial service with full
military honors was held Sept.
22 in Vancouver. Remem-
brances can be made to the
Rocky Mountain Elk Founda-
tion at www.rmef.org.
BUILDING COMMUNITY
Labor Roundtable
pays tribute to allies
in SW Washington
VANCOUVER — A record 274
union members, politicians,
family, and friends attended the
33rd annual Labor Roundtable
of Southwest Washington
awards banquet, held Sept. 29 at
the Vancouver Hilton Hotel and
Convention Center. Awards
were presented to individuals
and organizations whose leader-
ship has made a significant impact on organized
labor and the community at large.
Washington Lt. Gov. Cyrus Habib, the keynote
speaker, said when the average person talks about
‘making America great again,’ they’re not think-
ing about immigration or the environment.
They’re nostalgic for economic security. “That’s
what people remember. They remember having
a union that represented them. Having wages that
kept up with — and actually led — the standard
of living; a pension so they could protect and plan
for their future. They had health insurance that
made sure they were taken care of and their kids
were taken care of. They had labor protections at
the workplace so that they wouldn’t get injured,
but if they got injured they would have good fed-
eral protections and workers’ compensation. And
they had a plan to be able to buy a home and in-
vest in their kids’ future because of the work that
unions did. ... We need to make sure that we re-
member the recipe for greatness in this country.
We know what it was. ... We know how to do all
that.”
Award recipients were:
Phil Parker Public Service Award for Excellence:
Evelina Kurilenko, Supervisor, Clark County Sheriff’s Office
Union Member of the Year:
Carl Sofie, United Food & Commercial Workers #365
Labor Leader of the Year:
Gil Freeland, Vice President, Plumbers & Fitters #290
Labor Union of the Year:
Operating Engineers Local 701
Community Service:
Marc Boldt, Chair, Board of Clark County Councilors
Lifetime Achievement:
Gay Lincoln, Machinists District W24
Labor Service Award:
Brian Wolfe, Port of Vancouver Commissioner
Business of the Year:
Cowlitz Indian Tribe
Legislator of the Year:
Sharon Wylie, State Rep 49th District
In Solidarity Award:
Katie Archer Jolma
President, Clark County Democratic Women
Presented by the SW Washington Central Labor Council
Citizens Honored for Military Service:
Richard Brown, Laborers #335, US Army 1958 -1962