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CWA Veteran Albert Bowles Dies in Austin, Texas, at 79
Albert Stanley Bowles, a CWA veteran whose union career began more than 50 years ago, died Jan. 3 in an Austin, Texas, hospital after suffering complications from heart surgery. He was 79.
Bowles loved his work so much that he didn’t retire until age 75 and continued to be active in CWA retiree groups and Texas politics until being hospitalized in early December.
“We’ve lost one of our main warriors for the workers,” said Texas AFL-CIO President Joe Gunn, former president of CWA Local 6222. “If I didn’t hear from him twice a week, even in retirement, I’d check with him to make sure everything was all right, because he never laid down the sword.”
As a teenager, Bowles fudged his age to join the Navy in 1938 and fought in the Pacific during World War II. Afterwards, he went to work as an installer-plant assigner for Southwestern Bell in Dallas.
He joined CWA Local 6215, became its secretary-treasurer and coordinated the purchase of property for a local office. He was a member of the bargaining committee in the mid-1950s and was first hired by CWA as a temporary organizer in Buffalo, N.Y., in 1956.
In 1958, Bowles was hired by CWA founding President Joseph Beirne as a CWA representative in Dallas. He moved to San Antonio in 1961 and later Austin, where he became the administrative assistant to then-District 12 Vice President Paul Gray in 1974. The region became part of District 6 in 1986 and Bowles’ title was later changed to Southern Area Director. One of Bowles’ key responsibilities was CWA-COPE fundraising activities.
At the time of his death, Bowles was vice president of the South Austin Democrats and was a longtime precinct judge.
“The extent of his political activity is legend.” said District 6 Vice President Andy Milburn. “In Texas, he was known as ‘Mr. Democrat.’”
Bowles, who served many years as vice president of the Texas AFL-CIO, belonged to retiree clubs in CWA Locals 6143 and 6132.
In addition to his wife, Joyce, Bowles’ survivors include three sons, Michael, Larry and Patrick; a daughter, Trish Smink; two granddaughters and numerous other family members.
Bowles loved his work so much that he didn’t retire until age 75 and continued to be active in CWA retiree groups and Texas politics until being hospitalized in early December.
“We’ve lost one of our main warriors for the workers,” said Texas AFL-CIO President Joe Gunn, former president of CWA Local 6222. “If I didn’t hear from him twice a week, even in retirement, I’d check with him to make sure everything was all right, because he never laid down the sword.”
As a teenager, Bowles fudged his age to join the Navy in 1938 and fought in the Pacific during World War II. Afterwards, he went to work as an installer-plant assigner for Southwestern Bell in Dallas.
He joined CWA Local 6215, became its secretary-treasurer and coordinated the purchase of property for a local office. He was a member of the bargaining committee in the mid-1950s and was first hired by CWA as a temporary organizer in Buffalo, N.Y., in 1956.
In 1958, Bowles was hired by CWA founding President Joseph Beirne as a CWA representative in Dallas. He moved to San Antonio in 1961 and later Austin, where he became the administrative assistant to then-District 12 Vice President Paul Gray in 1974. The region became part of District 6 in 1986 and Bowles’ title was later changed to Southern Area Director. One of Bowles’ key responsibilities was CWA-COPE fundraising activities.
At the time of his death, Bowles was vice president of the South Austin Democrats and was a longtime precinct judge.
“The extent of his political activity is legend.” said District 6 Vice President Andy Milburn. “In Texas, he was known as ‘Mr. Democrat.’”
Bowles, who served many years as vice president of the Texas AFL-CIO, belonged to retiree clubs in CWA Locals 6143 and 6132.
In addition to his wife, Joyce, Bowles’ survivors include three sons, Michael, Larry and Patrick; a daughter, Trish Smink; two granddaughters and numerous other family members.