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Dead at 79, District 5 Vice President W.C. Button Led Three Generations of Family to CWA
William Carl "W.C." Button, the last CWA vice president of District 5, now part of District 4, died Dec. 6 at his home in White House, Texas. He was 79.
Three of his grandchildren - all third generation CWA members - recall stories that influenced them long ago to follow in their grandfather's - and their grandmother's and their father's - footsteps.
"I was real young," said his grandson Lance Button, "but I remember he was real big with the union and talked with Jimmy Carter and such. One time he called me from Air Force 1. When you're a little kid, that really sticks with you."
W.C. Button became a member of what is now Local 6222 in Houston, when he went to work for Southwestern Bell as a repeaterman in October 1950. Two years later, his wife Jane joined Southwestern Bell in Houston as a reports clerk. She retired in 1980 with 30 years service in the Bell system, having followed her husband's career to several locations.
"Button absolutely loved his union," she said. "He loved his people, he loved representing his people. His life was the union."
Button undertook several leadership positions in Local 6222 - he and Nick Nichols, retired CWA executive vice president, served as vice presidents under Joe Gunn, who went on to become Texas AFL-CIO President and a major influence in the state Democratic Party. Button moved up to the post of local president and later, in January 1967, became a CWA staff trainee.
He joined the staff as a CWA representative in Chicago in August of that year, transferred to Milwaukee in September 1969, then returned to Chicago in October 1971 as area director for Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin.
In November 1972, he became assistant to District 5 Vice President Ray Stevens. He moved to Oklahoma City as a CWA representative in August 1975, then returned to Chicago after winning election as District 5 Vice President in June 1977.
District 5 was merged into District 4 during a restructuring of CWA, finalized at the 1986 convention. Button retired as a special assistant to the president in August 1986.
During the course of his career he served on the Oklahoma Governor's Committee for the Handicapped and the Oklahoma state steering committee for passage of the Equal
Rights Amendment.
W.C.'s son, John, who died four years ago, was a steward in Local 6222. A second grandson, Brian Button, is a CWA member working for SBC in Dallas. His granddaughter, Elaine Scapalino, is a formerly CWA-represented employee of Cingular in Dallas who has moved up to management.
Button is survived by three additional grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
Three of his grandchildren - all third generation CWA members - recall stories that influenced them long ago to follow in their grandfather's - and their grandmother's and their father's - footsteps.
"I was real young," said his grandson Lance Button, "but I remember he was real big with the union and talked with Jimmy Carter and such. One time he called me from Air Force 1. When you're a little kid, that really sticks with you."
W.C. Button became a member of what is now Local 6222 in Houston, when he went to work for Southwestern Bell as a repeaterman in October 1950. Two years later, his wife Jane joined Southwestern Bell in Houston as a reports clerk. She retired in 1980 with 30 years service in the Bell system, having followed her husband's career to several locations.
"Button absolutely loved his union," she said. "He loved his people, he loved representing his people. His life was the union."
Button undertook several leadership positions in Local 6222 - he and Nick Nichols, retired CWA executive vice president, served as vice presidents under Joe Gunn, who went on to become Texas AFL-CIO President and a major influence in the state Democratic Party. Button moved up to the post of local president and later, in January 1967, became a CWA staff trainee.
He joined the staff as a CWA representative in Chicago in August of that year, transferred to Milwaukee in September 1969, then returned to Chicago in October 1971 as area director for Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin.
In November 1972, he became assistant to District 5 Vice President Ray Stevens. He moved to Oklahoma City as a CWA representative in August 1975, then returned to Chicago after winning election as District 5 Vice President in June 1977.
District 5 was merged into District 4 during a restructuring of CWA, finalized at the 1986 convention. Button retired as a special assistant to the president in August 1986.
During the course of his career he served on the Oklahoma Governor's Committee for the Handicapped and the Oklahoma state steering committee for passage of the Equal
Rights Amendment.
W.C.'s son, John, who died four years ago, was a steward in Local 6222. A second grandson, Brian Button, is a CWA member working for SBC in Dallas. His granddaughter, Elaine Scapalino, is a formerly CWA-represented employee of Cingular in Dallas who has moved up to management.
Button is survived by three additional grandchildren and three great grandchildren.