By Keith SmithBy Keith Smith
When Roger Elber passed away on
August 24th after a long illness, we lost a great Union member
who helped so many people. The first thing one noticed about Roger
was his size. Yet his physical size was only a slight indication
of how large a spirit he possessed. The second thing you saw was
his dedication to trade unionism and his job. Roger was good at
what he did and led by example.
Roger served as Staff Assistant where he led all of Eastern Washington
in giving to MNPL. He was President of the South Columbia Irrigation
Council, Secretary-Treasurer of the Southeastern Washington Labor
Council, and on the executive board of the Hanford Atomic Metal
Trades Council. Roger's promotional activity for MNPL was unprecedented
with events like his "Roger Eat Crow Dinner," which
spawned competition among the East Side locals. His enthusiasm
and leadership in such activities is greatly missed, as is his
sense of humor.
Roger's wife and children were a central part of his life, which
was complicated by the duties of his job. The area Roger serviced
in Eastern Washington was large geographically, and kept him away
from home more than he desired. Despite that, he (nor they) never
complained, but were always an active part of the union community.
An example of how stoic Roger was: When he finally had surgery
to replace a bad hip joint, the doctors discovered he had suffered
with a broken leg for a very long time!
Personally, I learned more from him about union activism than
all other sources combined. His guidance and advice were invaluable.
Seeing Roger in action was inspirational. It was my privilege
to have worked with him for many years, to listen to him laugh,
and see him in moments of joy. He was a very good man and a natural
leader. He shall be missed!