The RWDSU family mourns the loss of our members who have passed away during the coronavirus pandemic. They spent their lives working to feed us, clothe us, care for us and meet our needs. They were employed in the various industries our union represents. We name them to honor their memory.

Anthony Achan was a 32-year member of RWDSU Local 1102 at Staples. He served as a committee member on the last two negotiating campaigns. Achan passed away on May 4, 2020. He leaves behind a wife, son and daughter.

Candace Allen was a CNA from Bessemer, Alabama and a member of the RWDSU Midsouth Council. She passed away from COVID-19 on May 17, 2020. She leaves behind a son and daughter.

Enrique Almoite was a member of RWDSU Local 262 for 13 years, working in Housekeeping at West Caldwell Care Center in West Caldwell, New Jersey. He passed away on April 8, 2020. 

Jose Alvarado was a member of RWDSU Local 1102.  He was a dedicated worker at Whitson’s Islandia for 5 years. A father and husband, Jose passed away from Covid-19. He will be missed by all. 

Gregory Andrews was a RWDSU Local 1102 member of 14 years. He passed away on May 12, 2020 at the age of 66. Gregory contracted the COVID-19 virus a few weeks ago. He was released from the hospital but a short while after felt ill again and passed away. He leaves behind a wife, Camille and three daughters, Brooke, Tanya, and Camille.

Nora Aragon was a five-year member of RWDSU Local 262. She worked as a Line Operator at Flexon in Newark, New Jersey. She passed away due to COVID-19 on April 23, 2020.

Yanic Balthazar was a cook at the SUNY Old Westbury campus and a member of RWDSU Local 1102 since 2007. She passed away on April 1. She leaves behind two daughters, and a son who worked for SUNY Old Westbury for a year.

David Brown was a building service worker in the Riverdale section of the Bronx and member of RWDSU Local 670. He passed away from the coronavirus on April 7, 2020.

Ivory “Lump” Brown was a member of RWDSU Local 184-L in Kansas City where he worked at the Kellogg's plant. He passed away on April 24, 2020 at the age of 54.

Shirley Brundson was a member of the RWDSU Mid-South Council and worked at Wayne Farms in Union Spring, Alabama. She passed away from COVID-19 on May 30, 2020.

Manuel Chavez, who went by the nickname Victor, was a member of RWDSU Local 338. He worked at Zabar’s for 32 years in “The Mezzanine” section. Victor passed away on April 2, 2020.

Willie Curry worked at Wayne Farms in Jack, Alabama, and was a member of the RWDSU Midsouth Council. He passed away from COVID-19 complications on May 28, 2020.

Jamie Fernando worked in the Luggage Department at Macy’s on 34th Street. He passed away on April 3, 2020. He was a member of RWDSU Local 1-S for 26 years, working his way through various departments at Macy’s. Devoted to his church, Jamie died at the age of 62.

Manuel Garcia was a food service worker for SCCC/Aramark at the Suffolk County Community College Brentwood Campus. He had been member of RWDSU Local 1102 since 2017 when he started work at SCCC/Aramark. He leaves behind his 3-year-old daughter, his mother and a sister.

Annie Grant was a member of Local 938 of the RWDSU Southeast Council. For 13 years, Ms. Grant worked at the Tyson plant in Camilla, Georgia. She passed on April 7 due to the coronavirus.

Erlinda Guevara was a 23-year member of RWDSU Local 1102 at Autronics in Central Islip, Long Island. She started at the company in 1996 as a molding operator. Guevara passed away Sunday, April 19, 2020. She left behind a husband, three daughters and three sons.  

Maurillo Guzman was a member of RWDSU Local 1102 RWDSU from Queens, New York. He started working for Gate Gourmet at La Guardia airport in 2003 as a dish room attendant. He was loved and respected by all. Maurillo passed away due to the coronavirus on April 4, 2020 and is survived by his wife.

Kofi Gyamfi was 17-year member of RWDSU Local 338 at The Institutes of Applied Human Dynamics (IAHD) in the Bronx, New York, where he worked as a Treatment Coordinator. He was part of the committee that organized his shop with RWDSU back in 2003. Kofi passed away on April 27, 2020. 

Gladys Harris was poultry worker at Wayne Farms in Union Spring, Alabama. She had been a member of the RWDSU Midsouth Council four years. She passed away due to COVID-19 on May 27, 2020.

Kevin Harris was a RWDSU Local 108 member at the City of New Brunswick Water Department in New Jersey. He passed away on April 9, 2020 at the age of 57.

Leon Sandy Hodge was a retired building service worker from Brooklyn and member of RWDSU Local 670. He passed away from the coronavirus on April 20, 2020.

Mary Holt worked the poultry line the Camilla, Georgia, Tyson plant for 27 years. She was a member of the RWDSU Southeast Council. She passed away April 6 from COVID-19 complications.

Ted Hunt was a member of the RWDSU Mid-South Council who worked at Tyson Foods in Shelbyville, Tennessee, for over 20 years. He was 53 years old. He passed away in mid-July.

Jacques Mcconico was a 15 year member of the RWDSU Mid-South Council and worked as a CAN at Diversicare Riverchase in Birmingham, Alabama. She passed away on June 16.

Lorna McEachron was a home care worker at VIP/ADDUS and member of RWDSU Local 670. She passed away from the coronavirus on April 12, 2020.

Carlos Moreno was a member of the RWDSU Local 670, working as a doorman on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. He passed away on April 21, 2020 due to COVID-19.

Lloyd Osbourne was a building service worker in Brooklyn, NY and member of RWDSU Local 670. He had recently celebrated his retirement. He passed away from the coronavirus on April 12, 2020.

Marie Petit-Homme was a home care worker at VIP/ADDUS and member of RWDSU Local 670. She passed away from the coronavirus on May 13, 2020.

Ana Valerio was a member of RWDSU Local 1-S, working full-time for 19 years at the Macy’s Herald Square store in the Receiving Department. She enjoyed travel and was known for her generosity, kindness and gift giving. She died on April 3, 2020.

Wilfredo Ramirez was a five-year member of RWDSU Local 262, working as a Machine Operator at Flexon in Newark, New Jersey. He died on April 16, 2020.

Raul Ramos was a car wash worker at the HiTek carwash in Astoria, Queens, and a member of the RWDSU for 8 years. He passed away on February 3, 2021 due to COVID-19 complications. He leaves behind a wife, 3 children, 7 grandchildren and 1 great grandchild.   

Peter Roitero was an RWDSU Local 1102 member working in the warehouse at Dynamic Marketing Inc. for close to 19 years. He was a beloved colleague who helped to bring along newer hires with his experience and friendliness. He will be greatly missed by his family, friends, and coworkers.

Luz Palomino worked at Flying Foods in JFK airport and was a member of RWDSU Local 1102. She passed away in July

Ryan Sanders was a CNA in Panama City, Florida and member of RWDSU Midsouth Council. He passed away due to COVID-19 complications on May 10, 2020.

Sookraj Sookchan was a retired building service worker in Manhattan and member of RWDSU Local 670. Sookraj passed away from the coronavirus on April 15, 2020.

Alexander Thomas was a member of RWDSU Local 670, working at Kreisler Industrial in Elmwood Park, NJ, for 14 years and known by his coworkers as the resident expert on weld inspection.  

Aldo Urriola was a building service worker in Brooklyn, NY, and member of RWDSU Local 670. He passed away from the coronavirus on April 6, 2020.

Angel Vargas was an RWDSU member working at the Hi-Tek Car Wash in Queens, NY. He first joined the union in 2016 working at Off Broadway Car Wash in Elmhurst, Queens. Vargas passed away due to complications associted with COVID-19 on May 6, 2020. He will be missed by his union family at both carwashes. He is survived by his wife and two daughters.

Richard Weber Jr. worked full-time in the Suit Department at the Macy’s Herald Square flagship store. A member of RWDSU Local 1-S, Richard had 10 years of service with the company. He had a law degree and a love for the fashion industry. He passed away on March 18, 2020. He was 57 years old.

Deryck Williams was a retired building service worker in Brooklyn and member of RWDSU Local 670. He passed away from the coronavirus on April 5, 2020.

Elose Willis served as Secretary of RWDSU Local 938, representing poultry workers at Tyson in Camilla, Georgia. She was a proud and committed member of the RWDSU and worked at the facility for 35 years. She passed away due to COVID-19 on April 1, 2020.

Krzysztof Wtulisiak was a six-year member of RWDSU Local 670 at Kreisler Industrial in Elmwood Park, NJ, working to machine sync rings on the five axis machine. 

Willy Zumaran from Queens, New York, was a member of RWDSU Local 1102. For 16 years, Zumaran worked as a cook for Gate Gourmet at La Guardia airport. He passed away from COVID-19 in April.