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Past Wisconsin State Director Edward Peil Dies at 96
Edward V. Peil, longtime Wisconsin state director who helped build CWA's predecessor, the National Federation of Telephone Workers, died April 4 of natural causes in Holiday, Fla. He was 96.
Art LeFevre, retired vice president of District 5, now part of District 4, told how Peil helped organize the Wisconsin Union of Telephone Workers, part of the national federation that in 1947 became CWA. "He was one of the two or three people who initially formed the union in Wisconsin. He was often with me as we went around the state getting people to join us."
In November 1947, Peil, who had worked as a toll testboardman for Wisconsin Telephone Co. and earlier as a telegraph operator for the Chicago, Milwaukee and Northwestern Railroad, came on staff as a CWA representative, employed in Milwaukee.
Louis Knecht, retired CWA secretary-treasurer, said, "He was very quiet and low-keyed, and very well liked by the members he served," adding that he was particularly active in promoting state legislation to benefit the membership.
In December 1953, Peil became the union's Wisconsin director, the position he held until his retirement at the end of 1971.
His son, Edward W. Peil, of Danbury, Wis., remembers his father as a strong union advocate, who passed on his union values on to his family. "I was a steward with the Teamsters," he said. "Whenever I got into any kind of trouble, I went and talked to my dad. He always knew exactly what to do."
The elder Peil moved from Elm Grove, Wis., to Holiday, Fla., 33 years ago.
Survivors include his wife Genevieve of Holiday; two sons, Edward, and Milton Peil of Eau Claire, Wis.; three daughters, Doris Caton of New Port Richey and Jeanette DeBonville of Spring Hill, Fla., and Judi Kaderli of New Town, Conn.; 18 grandchildren, 29 great-grandchildren, and sister, Gertrude Johnson of Minneapolis, Minn.
Art LeFevre, retired vice president of District 5, now part of District 4, told how Peil helped organize the Wisconsin Union of Telephone Workers, part of the national federation that in 1947 became CWA. "He was one of the two or three people who initially formed the union in Wisconsin. He was often with me as we went around the state getting people to join us."
In November 1947, Peil, who had worked as a toll testboardman for Wisconsin Telephone Co. and earlier as a telegraph operator for the Chicago, Milwaukee and Northwestern Railroad, came on staff as a CWA representative, employed in Milwaukee.
Louis Knecht, retired CWA secretary-treasurer, said, "He was very quiet and low-keyed, and very well liked by the members he served," adding that he was particularly active in promoting state legislation to benefit the membership.
In December 1953, Peil became the union's Wisconsin director, the position he held until his retirement at the end of 1971.
His son, Edward W. Peil, of Danbury, Wis., remembers his father as a strong union advocate, who passed on his union values on to his family. "I was a steward with the Teamsters," he said. "Whenever I got into any kind of trouble, I went and talked to my dad. He always knew exactly what to do."
The elder Peil moved from Elm Grove, Wis., to Holiday, Fla., 33 years ago.
Survivors include his wife Genevieve of Holiday; two sons, Edward, and Milton Peil of Eau Claire, Wis.; three daughters, Doris Caton of New Port Richey and Jeanette DeBonville of Spring Hill, Fla., and Judi Kaderli of New Town, Conn.; 18 grandchildren, 29 great-grandchildren, and sister, Gertrude Johnson of Minneapolis, Minn.