Obituaries

Winter 1999
Volume 106 - No.4

Obituaries

As of November 30, 1999

3 - S. L. Frazier
6 - C. L. Dobnikar
23 - L. S. Gilbert
25 - O. Dyer Jr.
28 - D. E. Johnson Jr.
28 - A. E. McKinley
52 - W. B. Kenney
114 - C. G. Jaeschke
126 - W. A. Hirst
169 - J. R. Laforest
255 - E. T. McDonald
262 - D. G. Atkinson
307 - A. J. Pawelek
314 - D. V. Montague Jr.
325 - K. W. Krebs
333 - R. H. Lovelett
365 - G. L. Minzenberger J
370 - J. V. Lydon
374 - D. D. Finney
374 - D. L. Kendall
374 - F. S. McNeill
435 - H. W. Hollifield
508 - W. F. Smith
714 - F. A. Starr
769 - C. L. Harrell
803 - J. N. Mavrikis
850 - G. C. Fritz
850 - J. P. Schoen
858 - W. A. Dean
899 - J. E. Cleland
904 - D. G. Walton
919 - H.H. Abrams

As of December 31, 1999

5 - R. W. Carnahan
8 - H. M. Watts
10 - R. N. Savage
15 - L. R. Sommerville
52 - W. M. Sprenkle
107 - W. E. Helmstetter
156 - E. F. Cross Jr.
223 - A. W. Freeland
283 - C. G. Pflug
308 - K. O'Connor
309 - J. C. Cope
391 - W. Wilson
398 - C. D. Rice
447 - S. S. Compton
459 - R. C. Hooper
512 - J. R. Wilson
551 - J. W. Paluch
778 - R. A. Oertwig
781 - L. D. Butler
861 - R. G. Johnson

As of January 31, 2000:
28 - L. C. Henderson
28 - A. L. Lauderdale
76 - L. V. McCorrister
89 - A. D. Gleason
98 - D. V. Hornby
136 - J. A. Wright
148 - H. Workman Jr.
161 - J. J. Reans
169 - E. C. Rath
197 - J. E. Day
235 - G. M. Kilkenny
259 - W. J. Deats
263 - P. B. O'Boyle
283 - R. B. Proctor
285 - J. M. Hilton
287 - R. M. Simpson
291 - J. W. Watson
308 - C. H. O'Hare
309 - E. P. Dunaway Jr.
309 - R. J. Kerr Sr.
354 - L. J. Adams
362 - J. A. Whittington
435 - J. F. Shirley
444 - W. Wood
481 - J. J. Wayne
497 - W. P. Van billiard
499 - T. S. Nelson
500 - S. M. Jones
517 - E. R. Paddock
518 - D. W. Overdick
548 - L. B. Ferguson
561 - W. E. Ford Jr.
561 - W. B. Thomas
621 - S. E. Dellenbaugh
660 - K. E. Kirkpatrick
706 - C. A. Eidson
708 - R. E. Howell
715 - W. H. Heasman
726 - C. T. Pierson
793 - M. Kopko
857 - T. E. Marshall

Former VP Willard Hirst, 84

Willard Hirst

Former BLE International Vice-President Willard A. Hirst died of a sudden stroke November 16, 1999. He was 84 years old.

His son, Willard Jr., reports that Brother Hirst was healthy and active until the end. According to his son, he chopped a cord of wood a month before the stroke.

Brother Hirst served the BLE as International Vice-President from April 1, 1969 until his retirement December 31, 1984. Prior to that time he was BLE Division 126 (Bakersfield, Calif.) local chairman on the Southern Pacific Railroad, Pacific Lines.

Brother Hirst was born into a railroad family on October 6, 1915 in San Francisco. His father, A.S. Hirst, was a locomotive engineer and a member of the BLE for 40 years. The elder Hirst was a delegate to the 8th Triennial Convention in 1936, while his wife, Freda, was a member of the GIA Pancheco Auxiliary 339.

Willard began his railroad career as a carpenter's helper on the Southern Pacific Railroad in 1936. He went firing a year later, and was promoted to engineer on November 7, 1942 in Bakersfield. He joined the BLE on October 1, 1943.

Hirst is survived by his wife, Amanda, and his three sons.

Condolences may be sent to: 3005 Summer Creek Court, Bakersfield, Calif. 93311.


Correction: In the last issue we reported that Brother M.L. Dohm of Division 855 had passed away. He is alive and well. Brother D.L. Dohm of Division 855 recently passed away. We regret this error.

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