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Tim Luebbert, labor advocate, passes

Missouri’s labor movement felt a heavy loss recently with the passing of Tim Luebbert.

He dedicated decades of work towards advancing the interest of labor workers and had an unyielding love for the St. Louis Cardinals and his two sons.

“He was a good guy. He will be missed,” said Kevin McNatt, current president of Local 74 St. Louis of UNITE HERE.

“On a personal level, I have lost a great friend who would give you the shirt off of his back, but in the big picture of life, working families in the State of Missouri have lost a great friend and leader whether they had ever met him or not,” said Mike Louis, President of Missouri AFL-CIO.

Luebbert started working for the local union in the mid-1980s and in 1992 became president of Local 74 St. Louis. From there, he got involved on an international level and worked his way to International Vice President around 1996, a position he held until 2018.

According to McNatt, Luebbert worked tirelessly to bring the local UNITE HERE to the forefront. The labor union represents 270,00 individuals in the U.S. and Canada working in the hotel, gaming, food service, manufacturing, textile, distribution, laundry, transportation, and airport industries.

“His dedication not only to his sisters and brothers of Local 74 to work hard to improve their lives, but he was a warrior for all working families,” said Louis. “The only thing that Tim loved more than the Labor Movement were his two sons’ Dylan and Blake, and the St Louis Cardinals.”

McNatt recalled that Luebbert would try to make it to most opening days for the Cardinals and was in attendance when the team won the 1982 World Series. In fact, McNatt reminisced how often Luebbert would tell the story of how he somehow got into the Cardinals’ clubhouse during the ’82 World Series win celebration.

Both, Louis and McNatt, echoed the sentiment that Luebbert was simply a good guy.

“He was like a brother to me,” said McNatt. “He was ambitious, he did not back down from anyone or anything. He was always there for you, would give anyone the shirt off his back — he carried about people.”

Funeral Services for Luebbert will be held on April 16, 2019, at St. Norbert Catholic Church in Florissant, Missouri.