RMC President Bobby Brown Dies; Active CWA Member for Six Decades
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RMC President Bobby Brown at CWA convention. |
Bobby Ray Brown, president of CWA's Retired Members' Council and a Local 6201 member for nearly 60 years, died Aug. 24 in Texas.
"Bobby was a leader, not only for the RMC and District 6, but across CWA," CWA President Larry Cohen said. "He was also a force throughout AT&T and provided constant representation to retired workers on the issues most important to them."
"But mostly I will remember Bobby as the best of CWA. He always put our union first, inspiring so many of us to be the best we can be," Cohen said.
Brown, who was 79, had been recently diagnosed with a brain tumor, but gave a dynamic address to CWA convention delegates this past June.
Brown got his start as a communications technician during the Korean War, serving in the U.S. Army attached to an Air Force unit. When he returned, he began a 40-year career at SBC (now AT&T), and joined CWA. Always an active member, he served as one of his local's vice presidents.
After retiring, he was elected president of his Retired Members' Council chapter, then president of RMC District 6. He continued in his District 6 role after being elected RMC president in January 2009. He also continued to serve on Local 6201's legislative-political committee.
A lifelong Democratic activist, Brown gave his time to community projects and local politics, serving as a city council member and mayor pro tem in Haslet, near Fort Worth.
Survivors include his wife, Priscilla, four children, 13 grand-children and 14 great-grandchildren.
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More than 400 mourners ranging from trade unionists to state and local politicians packed the North Fort Worth Baptist Church on Thursday to say goodbye to Bobby.
In addition to serving his union, Bobby was also active in his community, having served as city council member and later as mayor of the Fort Worth suburb of Haslet. Current Haslet Mayor Bob Golden, who was recruited by Bobby to get involved in local politics, praised Bobby in a moving eulogy.
A mile-long funeral procession made its way to the ccemetery, where Haslet fire trucks formed a crossed-ladders tribute at the entrance. Local 6201, closed for the service, gave every mourner a white memorial ribbon with Bobby's name. Mourners included an AT&T human resources executive, and the company gave CWA stewards time off to attend the service.
