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For a Friend
Most of you who will read this did not know Roy Pacifico. If you had, he would have been your friend like he was mine. We lost Roy last Saturday and he will be missed dearly by those who knew and loved him.
He was a long serving officer/president of the Colorado Springs Area Local but had not been active in the union for several years. He was one of a group of union officers & friends who took an annual golf vacation to Myrtle Beach. Roy had been suffering with liver cancer for the past few years and wanted to take one more trip and share fellowship with his friends.
He arrived in good spirits and was looking forward to playing some golf, however on our first day out he began to feel ill. He was my cart partner and on the third hole I had to take him back to the clubhouse because he was too weak to go on. He would not let me stay with him, he did not want his illness to inconvenience anyone. We checked on him several times during the day and he went back to our condo to rest. Unable to play anymore, two days later he had to be hospitalized. His condition got worse and his wife and son flew in to be with him. After I returned home I learned he had passed away. I am sure that he died doing what he most wanted to do - being with his friends and being near golf.
I first met Roy at a national presidents conference when I was still quite early in my union career. He taught me a most valuable lesson. He was not afraid to get up in front of hundreds of people and praise the union when it did right and question things he thought were wrong. I was impressed that someone would do that, because until then I would just sit and listen, not adding anything to the dialogue. After seeing Roy I was never afraid to speak my mind again. That has served me well over the years and I have Roy to thank.
He was a special person, one who put the good of the union above everything else. Our union will be smaller without him, but if we believe in his principles, we will be better off.
Rest in peace dear friend.
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