Page 3 - Retiree News Summer 2022

CSEA mourns loss of former CSEA Statewide Secretary Barbara Reeves
ALBANY
— CSEA is mourning the loss of former CSEA Statewide Secretary Barbara Reeves, who recently passed away.
A CSEA
activist for
nearly 35 years, Barbara was elected as CSEA’s Statewide Secretary in 1994, and served in that role until she retired in 2008.
In later years, Barbara had lived in Florida and was a member of CSEA Florida State Retirees West Local 950.
“Barbara was always a strong leader and a powerful force for our
members,” said CSEA President Mary E. Sullivan. “For as long as
I knew her, she never wavered in her commitment to CSEA and her determination to improve working conditions for all of us, especially working women.”
“She was instrumental in
the formation of the Statewide Women’s Committee. Barbara’s tireless advocacy on behalf of women’s issues was recognized
in 1990 when she was named
a recipient of the Irene Carr Leadership Award,” Sullivan said. “She was truly an amazing woman and a dear friend and I will miss her incredibly. Rest in Peace, my Union sister.”
Barbara was a founding member of the Mohawk Valley Psychiatric Center Local in Utica and served in
local leadership posts. She served as a mental hygiene representative on the CSEA Board of Directors as well as on numerous committees, most notably as a member of CSEA’s Women’s Committee.
Like one of her mentors, former CSEA Statewide Secretary Irene Carr, Barbara spent her career fighting for improvements in work and family issues that traditionally concern working women. Barbara served on our union’s first Women’s Committee during the late 1970s and had lobbied for
the committee to become one of our union’s standing committees. As Statewide Secretary, Barbara continued to work with the Standing Women’s Committee as its officer liaison.
In what she once called her
“proudest achievement,” Barbara received our union’s prestigious Irene Carr Leadership Award in 1990 for her advocacy for work and family issues.
Barbara was also a safety and health activist who chaired our union’s first Statewide Occupational Safety and Health Committee.
“My greatest satisfaction comes from having a positive impact
on the lives of CSEA members
and their families,” said Barbara, shortly before she retired. “I cherish the opportunity I’ve been giving to make a difference in the lives of members, both on and off the job.”
— Janice Gavin
CSEA mourns loss of former Statewide Treasurer Maureen Malone
CSEA is mourning the loss
of former Statewide Treasurer Maureen Malone, who passed away on April 20, 2022. She was 72.
A CSEA leader and activist for more than 40 years, Maureen held leadership roles on every level of our union, including as Statewide Treasurer from 1994
until retiring in 2007.
After retiring, Maureen worked
for Pearl Insurance in client relations from 2007 until 2009. She also was elected as treasurer of the Oneida-Madison-Herkimer Tri-County Retirees Local 914 in 2017, a post she served in briefly before moving to Alabama.
“Maureen and I started out as CSEA Local Presidents in Region 5 and, over the years, were fortunate enough to serve our Union as statewide officers,” said CSEA President Mary E. Sullivan. “She was my critic, my advisor, and my loyal friend for many years. She
was always smiling, quick with a joke, and a powerful advocate for the members she faithfully represented. I will miss her very much. Rest in Peace, my Union sister.”
An Oneida native, Maureen’s involvement in our union began in 1974 when she faced an injustice at her job as a Madison County medical laboratory technician. She began her CSEA activism when she attended a Central Region meeting, and soon joined the CSEA Board of Directors as the Madison County representative.
After leaving Madison County employment, Maureen had owned a yarn shop and worked at AFSCME. She had served on AFSCME’s
blue ribbon panel that studied CSEA’s 1978 affiliation with our International union.
In 1983, Maureen once again joined CSEA when she began working at Mohawk Valley Psychiatric Center. She later worked at SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse and again became a CSEA activist, serving in numerous local and region
leadership positions, as well as on CSEA committees.
In 1994, Maureen was elected CSEA’s Statewide Treasurer, serving in that office until her retirement.
Maureen said one of her proudest moments as Statewide Treasurer was her work in developing the CSEA flag quilt that members and staff sewed together during the 2001 Annual Delegates Meeting in Buffalo, held weeks after the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
The quilt, which features squares, stars and “helping hands” depicting officers, locals and
staff, was especially poignant to Maureen.
“The quilt represents a lot of our pride and everyone pulled together and put it together,” said Maureen, shortly before retiring in 2007. “It was awe-inspiring.”
She was also proud of spearheading efforts to help Gulf Coast hurricane victims by helping produce the “CSEA Cooks From the Heart” cookbook that included recipes from members and staff.
— Janice Gavin
CSEA mourns loss of former Nassau Area Retirees Local Secretary Barbara Rusch
BETHPAGE — CSEA is mourning the loss of Nassau Area Retirees Local 919 Secretary Barbara Rusch.
Rusch had served as the local secretary since 1999. While
employed, she had also an activist, serving as secretary and delegate in the Town of Oyster Bay Local from 1989 until retiring in 1997.
SUMMER 2022
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