Vice President Emeritus Jack Bostick Passes Away

July 24, 2007 – The IAFF lost one of its longest-serving and greatest leaders last week when 11th District Vice President Emeritus Jack Bostick passed away at the age of 97.

“Jack was a great trade unionist and one of the most influential leaders in the history of this IAFF,” says General President Harold Schaitberger. “A one-of-a-kind, thoughtful gentleman, who was also tough as nails and could bring clashing sides together for the good of our union.”

“The 11th District lost one of the best,” says current 11th District Vice President Sandy McGhee. “No one served our District or our union with more distinction – he will truly be missed.”

Bostick became a fire fighter in 1931, during the Great Depression. On his rookie day, he was assigned to take over for an ailing veteran who didn’t know he was being replaced. That experience led Bostick to resolve to help get pensions for fire fighters in his home state of Texas. He delivered on that promise later in his career by playing a key role in helping establish a pension system across the state. He also was a major force in passing the Texas Fire Fighters Civil Service Act, which set procedures for fair hiring and promotions.

In 1938, Fort Worth organized IAFF Local 440, and two years later Bostick began his 40-years of service at the local and state level, serving as secretary-treasurer and president, and as Texas State Association of Fire Fighters secretary-treasurer.

In 1950, Bostick became IAFF 11th District Vice President, and served in that capacity for 30 years.

You can hear his story told in his own words by visiting the IAFF online History.

Bostick’s distinguished record of service to the IAFF is memorialized in the union’s Constitution & By-laws, in Section 9, which established the position of Vice President Emeritus in 1982, with these words:

"The position of Vice President is hereby established for Brother Jack Bostick to be occupied by him immediately upon and concurrent with the effective date of his retirement as International Vice President of this Association.
Jack Bostick is uniquely qualified for this honor because of his thirty years of dedicated service to this Association which he has performed with conspicuous distinction. He has justly earned the accolade of ‘Elder Statesman’ of the Executive Board."

Even in retirement, Vice President Bostick remained an active participant in the governance of the IAFF, including taking the floor to address the delegates as a delegate at-large at the IAFF’s 48th Convention in Toronto in 2006.

His funeral was Saturday, July 21, 2007. The viewing was on Friday, July 20.