David Richard Cormier

David R. Cormier, 73, of Fairview, WV, passed away on November 12, 2013 at Ruby Memorial Hospital in Morgantown, WV. He is survived by his wife, Jackie (Yaple) Francisco-Cormier. He was born on December 2, 1939 in Rumford, ME a son of the late Leo and Estelle Cormier. David attended Cheverus High School in Portland, ME, where he developed an aptitude for space science and aerodynamics. He graduated from the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, IN, and later earned a master's degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Arizona in Tucson, AZ. He completed his doctoral thesis in Labor Economics at the University of Notre Dame. He worked for Transitron Electronic Corporation in Wakefield, MA; Raytheon Company in Waltham, MA; and the Indiana Institute of Technology in Fort Wayne, IN. David started his career in labor organizing with the United Farm Workers of America with the civil rights activist Cesar Chavez in California and worked with the National Union of Hospital and Healthcare Workers in Pennsylvania and many other unions and labor groups to campaign for workers' rights around the nation. He researched and taught labor studies at Indiana University in Kokomo, IN and most recently for the Institute of Labor Studies and Research at West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV. He held seminars where he presented his findings to various labor unions and organizations across the U.S., England, Canada, and Puerto Rico. He enjoyed history and participated in living history reenactments including 1700's fur trading era, French and Indian War, Revolutionary War and as late as 1812 reenactments in several states. In addition to his wife, he is survived by three daughters of Pauline Cormier, Deborah Fekos and her husband John of Pittsburgh, PA, Karen Southards and her husband Jerry of Orange, CA, and Cynthia Ruckert and her husband Todd of Centreville, VA; Step daughter Heidi Francisco-Collins of Curwensville, PA and step-son Jody Francisco of Fredrick, MD; and loving grandfather of several grandchildren and step-grandchildren. David is also survived by his three younger siblings, James of California, Suzanne of Arizona, and Gary of Connecticut and several nieces and nephews. Friends will be received at the Fred L. Jenkins Funeral Home on Saturday November 23, 2013 beginning at 2pm, followed by a memorial service at 2:30pm. A reception will follow at Plumbers & Pipefitters Local 152 Union Hall 100 Richard Ave. Morgantown, WV 26501. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in David's memory to United Farm Workers of America, P.O. Box 62, 29700 Woodford-Tahachapi Rd. Keene, CA 93531 or Southern Poverty Law Center, 400 Washington Ave. Montgomery, AL 36104.

Saturday, November 23, 2013

Fred L. Jenkins Funeral Home 10 S. High St. morgantown, wv 26501

Saturday, November 23, 2013 02:30 PM

Fred L. Jenkins Funeral Home 10 S. High St. morgantown, wv 26501