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Verlene Jones Davis passes away at 63; service on Oct. 13

SEATTLE — Washington State Labor Council Vice President and longtime labor/community leader Verlene Jones Davis, 63, passed away on Sept. 22. A Celebration of Life Service is planned for Saturday, Oct. 13 at 11 a.m. at Rose Hill Baptist Church, 7550 Martin Luther King Way South in Seattle.

A beloved labor leader, Verlene served as President of the Seattle chapter of the A. Philip Randolph Institute, President of the Washington chapter of the Coalition of Labor Union Women, Director of the MLK Labor’s Union Cities program, and was always active in her union, Office and Professional Employees Local 8, where she served as President for 10 years. She served as WSLC Vice President, representing CLUW on the council’s Executive Board, since 2017.

“Verlene was a labor leader, educator and community activist,” said WSLC President Jeff Johnson. “I had the great fortune to work with Verlene on connecting faith and labor issues and educating on the Employee Free Choice Act. Her vision for an inclusive labor movement helped me become a better leader and person. Verlene, you will be missed.”

“Verlene was an amazing wife, mother, civil rights activist, community leader, mentor and friend,” writes current APRI-Seattle President Gabriel Prawl. “She joined APRI in 1990 and served as President of APRI Seattle Chapter for 17 years from 1996-2013. She taught all of us who served under her leadership so much and she inspired us all to be better people and greater leaders in our communities. We, her APRI family like so many others, will forever love her dearly. And we’ll miss her greatly.”

Donations may be sent to the charity of your choice. Please share memories or express your condolences here.

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