Category: Memorial Corner
Former UTU communications director passes away
Born in 1930, Art Hanford began his railroad career as a darkroom technician for the Chesapeake & Ohio (C&O) Railway in 1953. While with the C&O, he earned a reputation as a quality photographer and writer. He was a trusted employee of Cyrus Eaton, the C&O Boa [...]
Amtrak announces death of former CEO Joseph Boardman
Amtrak announced today that former President and CEO Joseph Boardman, 70, died today after having a stroke March 5: “We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Joe Boardman.” “Joe, during his tenure as FRA administrator, Amtrak board member and Amtrak president & C [...]
Lifetime member and former SLD Willis Croonquist passes away
Willis Croonquist, of Local 1177 (Willmar, Minn.), a former United Transportation Union Minnesota state legislative director and alternate national legislative director in the 1980s and ’90s, died Jan. 24. He was 81. Croonquist had been a member of the union since 1955, [...]
New England Alt. Legislative Director Donald W. Wheaton Jr. dead at 62
Donald “Donnie” Wheaton Jr., 62, died unexpectedly Saturday, Jan. 19. Hiring out with the Massachusetts Bay Commuter Railroad – now Keolis – Wheaton served as a conductor. He was a 42-year employee. Wheaton became a member of the United Transportation Union Local 898 (Boston, [...]
Former N.J. Conrail/CSX local chairman dies
William Arthur McManus (Maxie), 74, of Dumont, N.J., died Jan. 5, 2019, at the James J. VA Medical Center in the Bronx, N.Y. Bill, a member of SMART Transportation Division Local 1447, joined the union in November 1977 and was a railroad conductor with CSX and Conrail for mor [...]
Local 495 member dies in train accident
Jeffrey Keith Hague, 34, died Sunday, Dec. 30, 2018, as the result of a railroad accident in Oakley, Kan. Hague was a conductor for Union Pacific and a member of Local 495 (Salina, Kan.) since 2012. Hague was the salutatorian of his 2002 graduating class. He went on from high [...]Former UTU Assistant President Lloyd W. Swert passes away
Lloyd W. “Corky” Swert, who served as United Transportation Union assistant president in the 1990s, passed away at his home in Hillsdale, Mich., on Wednesday. He was 86. Swert, a member of UTU Local 2 in Toledo, Ohio, hired on as a brakeman for the New York Centra [...]
Former Vice General Chairperson Tom Baker has died
Local 911 (Minneapolis) Local Chairperson Tom “TJ” Baker, 32, died Tuesday, Oct. 27. A 12-year member, Baker had served his union as local chairperson and 3rd vice general chairperson of GO 261 – Canadian Pacific (SOO Line) since 2015. Brother Baker is the son of former GO 26 [...]