AQ McElrath’s Celebration of Life
Feb 25th, 2009 by Capsun
Today, Native Hawaiians and our supporters gather for Kukulu Kumuhana and Ku I Ka Pono events in Hawaii and other areas across the United States as the U. S. Supreme Court hears oral arguments on the Hawaii v. OHA Ceded Lands case, Docket 07-1372.
I’d like to honor the importance and somberness of today’s events by honoring one of the biggest champions of social justice, my friend, AQ McElrath. I previously wrote about her in My Tribute to AQ McElrath.
At the time of her death, news reports indicated public services would be held for AQ at a later date. That date is this Saturday, February 28. Here are details, from a flyer:
ILWU Local 142 invites you to join in Celebrating the Life of
AH QUON McELRATH
Saturday, February 28, 2009
10:00 a.m. (visitation from 9:00 a.m.)
ILWU Union Hall
451 Atkinson Drive, Honolulu
(validated parking at Hawaii Convention Center)
Ah Quon McElrath, retired ILWU social worker and community activist, passed away on December 11, 2008 at the age of 92. AQ, as she was known to one and all, wanted no memorial service, but this Celebration of Life allows us to collectively remember her.
AQ was larger than life with her words, her vision, and her passion. She fought the good fight for working men and women and others who had no
champion. AQ’s legay is the union she helped to build and the many advocates and activists she nurtured.
We invite you all to come and celebrate the life of Ah Quon McElrath—a tribute and mahalo to a great woman who touched so many lives and will continue to inspire and motivate us all.
Ah Quon is survived by her daughter, Gail Long (Zach Schiller); her son, Brett McElrath; her granddaughter, Kimberly Long (Jeff Adams); her grandson, Troy Corbitt; her great-granddaughter, Mirabel Adams; her sister, Mabel Abili; her brother, Ah Nee Leong (Won Sun); her sister-in-law, Frances Leong; four nieces, Pat, Indivar, Terryl and Ginger; and a nephew, Michael.
Tax-deductible donations in the memory of Ah Quon McElrath may be made to the Hawaii Labor Heritage Council and designated to the Ah Quon McElrath Fund for Economic and Social Justice, c/o 451 Atkinson Drive,
Honolulu, HI 96814.
Mahalo!
[...] with hundreds of others, I attended AQ McElrath’s Celebration of Life on Saturday at the ILWU’s headquarters, Hale Hapaiko. It truly was a celebration, complete [...]
[...] the “AQ McElrath” section. Material for this post was taken from information available at her Celebration of Life in [...]