By MoveUP President Graeme Hutchison

It was an honour to represent MoveUP at the celebration of life for Marie Decaire. Marie was an amazing labour activist who worked for Unite HERE! Local 40, Community Savings Credit Union, and the BC Labour Heritage Centre. With her passing, the labour movement lost a good friend and a true labour advocate.

Each of us can look back to that person who encourage us to get more involved with our union. For me, that person was Marie. Marie made time for everyone, including myself, when I started working at Community Savings.

It was Marie who pulled me aside and said I should be a job steward. She provided the support and mentored me and was so proud when I became president of our union.

During her celebration of life, one of her good friends said something that stuck with me: “Everybody dies twice: once when their bodies leave this earth, and secondly when their stories stop being told.”

Marie will continue to live through many of us through those stories, and I personally want to thank her for believing in me and changing the direction of my life.

Community Savings on Marie Decaire
BC Labour Heritage Centre on Marie Decaire
Marie Decaire obituary