{"id":45596,"date":"2019-01-25T17:12:00","date_gmt":"2019-01-25T22:12:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.smart-union.org\/?p=45596"},"modified":"2019-01-25T17:12:00","modified_gmt":"2019-01-25T22:12:00","slug":"lifetime-member-and-former-sld-willis-croonquist-passes-away","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.smart-union.org\/lifetime-member-and-former-sld-willis-croonquist-passes-away\/","title":{"rendered":"Lifetime member and former SLD Willis Croonquist passes away","gt_translate_keys":[{"key":"rendered","format":"text"}]},"content":{"rendered":"
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.
\nCroonquist had been a member of the union since 1955, and served as a guiding light to many on the legislative side of the union, including current National Legislative Director John Risch.
\n“Over the years, Willis was much more than a union brother,” said John Risch, national legislative director for SMART TD. “He was my mentor and a dear friend. He was well-liked and was well respected, which is what made him a very effective Minnesota legislative director and UTU alternate national legislative director.”
\nRisch continued, “Willis was always fun to be with. He knew how to have a good time and when I was with him I had a good time, too. He will be missed … I miss him already.”
\nPast UTU President Thomas DuBose offered his personal condolences in a message to Croonquist’s family:
\n“Please know that the death of my longtime friend Willis was received with shock and much sadness,” DuBose wrote. “Our years of friendship will always be an important entry in my book of memories.
\n“Without question, the American labor movement lost a leading trade unionist and political activist in every sense of the word, with his passing.”
\n