Staffer Ed Disch Taught Wisconsin Stewards

Edward Disch, 78, a retired CWA representative in District 4, died on June 12. He was best known for his commitment and effectiveness in training CWA leaders.

"Ed was a terrific teacher. He ran some of the best steward schools we had," said CWA Executive Vice President Jeff Rechenbach, who was District 4 vice president at the time of Disch's retirement.

"Education was what he loved most," said his wife, Elaine. "He enjoyed the camaraderie with the members and staff."

Employed by Wisconsin Telephone as a fieldman for engineering, Disch formed a deep commitment to unionism during the national telephone strike of 1947. He served as president of CWA Local 5522 in Oshkosh, Wis., then joined the staff as a CWA representative in November 1953. He soon took on statewide responsibility for stewards' training and headed Wisconsin CWA-COPE.

In 1968, he moved to the union's Chicago office and, in August 1977, was named administrative assistant to the then District 5 vice president. He served as Illinois director from April 1980, then became a CWA representative in November 1985, following the merger of District 5 and District 4. He worked from the Itasca, Ill., office from February 1989 until his retirement in March 1994.