Remembering a Member

To all,

Last night one of our retirees, a Correctional Officer from the Walworth County Sheriff’s Dept passed away. Howard Hagen was a union leader at the local level for his 9 year employment with us. Howard retired October 16, 2009 due to his deteriorating health conditions. Howard had fought a 2 year battle with cancer and succumbed to his illness on Saturday night. Before that Howard served the City of Chicago as a Police Officer for 34 years and was a leader in the FOP (Fraternal Order of Police) Lodge 7. Before that, Howard served his country in the United States Marine Corps.

Howard started work for our department on a bet with his wife. She didn’t think that he could pass the test to work for our department. That is a bet that I am glad that he won. Howard did this because as an employee of Chicago, he would not have received Medicare, because they did not pay into Social Security. Howard is survived by his wife, children and grand children. He joins the partners he had one the streets in Chicago to now guard the streets of heaven.

Please keep his family and our local in your thoughts and prayers this season. Howard touched these members and united these officers more than any person that I have seen.

Mike Recklies

AFSCME Retiree Jerry LaPoint Honored

Eau Claire Democratic Party Honors 3 of their own

On December 3rd Chippewa Valley Democratic Trailblazers were honored. Local labor political activist Jerry LaPoint, Democratic activists Ray and Lucille Wachs, former state legislator Frank Nikolay and former Congressman Al Baldus all have made substantial contributions to the progressive cause over the years. John Nichols was a featured guest and joined other party members to honor these special people.