William Browning

William R. Browning, long-time secretary-treasurer of Detroit 2-289M, died of cancer at his home in Pinckney, Mich. He was 67.

Local 2-289M Pres. David R. Jacobs said Browning was a "truly great and greatly loved human being, who brought enormous good to our union and the many hundreds of members he helped to organize during nearly 40 years of superior service."

Noting that Browning assisted in organizing more than 30 shops, Jacobs said Browning "referred to organizing workers seeking justice to be doing nothing more than God's work. He believed it. He lived it."

A journeyman pressman, Browning worked at Rotary Manifold Forms and Colonial Press. He joined the union in 1966 after helping with an organizing campaign where he worked.

Browning was elected to the local's executive board in 1969. In 1982, he was elected secretary-treasurer–a post he held until his retirement in June of this year.

He served as a delegate to all International conventions since 1968 and to the North American Commercial Union Conference.

He also served on the Detroit Allied Printing Trades Council and as a delegate to the Metropolitan Detroit AFL-CIO and the Michigan State AFL-CIO.

Browning is survived by his wife Carolyn, daughter Leslie, son William, and two grandchildren.