Public Employee Press

Volunteer Mavis Quattlebaum dies

Frequent political action volunteer Mavis Quattlebaum left a gap in the union's "Green Machine" when she died Feb. 22. An active member of the DC 37 Retirees Association and a former member of Local 1549, Quattlebaum served as a Community Association Coordinator.

"She was a fighter," said retired Local 371 member Pat Miller. For 20 years they attended rallies at City Hall, traveled to Albany for Lobby Day and worked the phone banks together during election campaigns. "She didn't like anyone to be mistreated," said Miller.

"Mavis was a shining example of commitment to winning justice for working people through the union," said Political Director Wanda Williams.

Quattlebaum was on welfare briefly after she arrived from St. Thomas in 1954. "She got a job as fast as possible," said her son Richard. She began her civil service career DC 37's Yolanda Johnson at park named for activist Barry Marrow. in 1978 and worked as an Office Aide in several city agencies before retiring in 1992.

"She taught us about the importance of unions," said Richard, who is now a delegate in Local 6 of the Hotel Employees Union.

Quattlebaum is survived by her husband, Floyd, six sons, a daughter, brother Withfield Moses and many nieces and nephews.