When I was an organizer for the Association of Western Pulp and Paper Workers (AWPPW) I met the local President of Fox River paper in Ripon, John Goeringer. He was full of life and was a leader. I had some good times with John. He was witty and very smart. He was voted Trustee from California for the AWPPW in his early 30's. He had lots of energy to be successful. I was called by my Organizing partner and buddy from Washington, David Herrera, who informed me that John had passed away in an industrial accident.
Modbee.com The Modesto Bee John had left Fox River and was working for the county of San Joaquin. My heart goes out to his family and friends.
5 comments:
Wow Richard... Your blog can be really funny or really depressing. Take a look at the last 8 or so posts. Its like a rollercoaster. Are you off your meds? Maybe you need some meds. In either case, this is not healthy.
It's not a bad thing for us to contemplate our own mortality from time to time. Otherwise we might find ourselves wasting our precious time in worthless pursuits.
You thought I was going to say something about blogs, didn't you?
No, I passed up an opportunity to take a cheap shot at my fellow online common taters.
Richard, losing friends and fellow union members is hard. Losing one's parents or children must be the hardest thing of all. Except for facing our own, individual, personal mortality.
Hard or not, it must be done.
Good luck, cousins.
12:14pm Life happens and you deal with each happening accordingly.
There are people from my mill that read this blog also. People who would want to know about John. I can smile and appreciate the good memories of past friends. Not all sad. No meds here, I do not even have family doctor. I go to United Indian Health Services (UIHS) for health care.
All I can say is that it could have been you in the industrial accident and by the grace of the guy/gal upstairs it wasn't your turn. Thanks for the blog-its worth your time and ours!
Hi, I found your blog when doing a google search of John. I used to know him very well, but lost touch with him and his family the last few years. I have been pondering the same things you have. It is still weird to think about him being gone. I can't even imange what Kim and their kids are going through. I wish I have some words of encouragement, but I do not. He was a great guy and it is so hard to comphrend that he is gone.
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