Posted: November 10, 2014
Source: Dave Jacobsen, Western Region Tank Haul Director, Local 174 Business Agent

We’re here today to celebrate Brian’s life … his life … the life he lived the way he wanted. He was happy. He was content. He left with no regrets … except not having more time.

Time is a funny thing. When you’re young, you think you have all the time in the world. As you get older, you wonder where all the time has gone. Brian was right in the middle, the point where he was able to look back at all the laughter and mistakes of his youth, and still able to see a long future in front of him.

Brian definitely lived in the moment and enjoyed the small joys of life. Gardening, hanging with friends, golfing, fishing, and the quietness of life with the ones he loved.

That’s not to say that Brian was ever really quiet. His brothers at the local were all targets for his pranks and thundering voice offering sarcasm and unfiltered jabs. We’ll never forget …… or the time ……

Brian was born on October 6th, 1966 in Salina Kansas. His mom moved the family to Seattle in 1976 when she was transferred by Boeing. Brian loved his mom dearly. He was a loving and faithful son who took care of her until her death several years ago.

Brian grew up around Federal Way until he entered the United States Marine Corp in 1983. He entered the Marines with his best friend, Bob. He was a sergeant and completed training as a radio operator and a rifle sharp shooter. In the Marines he traveled to the Thailand and the Philippines.

Some of his well know words from being overseas were Gilli Gillis

Upon his completion of active duty, he began working for United Trucking, then TNT and finally Reddaway where he was discovered by Rick Hicks as a natural born leader and asked to join us here at Local 174.

Brian actually met Araina while working at Reddaway in 2006. After their first date, they were never apart. Brian knew what he wanted, and he was blessed to have found Araina, because she understood him, and respected him, and pledged her life to him. Neither of them needed a piece of paper to officially bind their lives together. Anyone who saw them together could plainly see that both were committed to each other body and soul. It was truly an amazing thing to witness.

Brian was fiercely protective of everyone he loved. Araina, Sierra, Erin, course his grandpa, Mike Werner.

He became a delegate in the 2006 Teamster convention in Las Vegas. That was the first time many of us had met each other, and we all liked Brian right away. He became a business agent in 2007 following our landslide election. He was a sergeant at arms for the 2011 convention and became the JCT 28 Freight Director this past April.

Brian was the business agent assigned to Oak Harbor Freight Lines when we went on strike in the fall of 2008 it lasted 159 days . Brian was on the line nearly 24 hours a day, sleeping 2 hours a night, sometimes in his truck. He was completely dedicated to the cause and fought hard every day since then to represent the drivers and their families.

I had a great conversation with Araina the other day and we talked for a long time about her reflection of their life together. She remembers fondly that he loved the Kansas City Chiefs and the Royals. He was a diehard metal head who would rock out to Slayer and Montley Crew. Brian loved his truck and put aside his metal music when Araina was in the car. Since they couldn’t agree on music, they would sit in radio silence and talk. He would often just snap his fingers which was his signal that he wanted to hold hands.

He, Araina and their girls would go on vacations together. They visited Hawaii, San Diego, Seaworld, the zoo. They also visited the San Diego Naval Shipyards he loved showing his family the ships that he served on. While on a Union business trip back to Washington DC he visited the IBT Office and was able to sit at President Hoffa’s desk. He also was able to visit the Vietnam wall and the Korean War monuments.

Brian would push Araina’s boundaries and coerce her to try new things, but it was always out of love, not in an attempt to change her. They would often be found cuddling together and he would hold her for hours. He was a simple man.

There comes a time when all of us have to part with the ones we love. On behalf of all the members of the Teamster Union, most especially those of us a part of Local 174, we proudly say that we loved Brother Brian. He was part of the glue that held our Local together. He was Caveman. He will always have a place in our hearts. We want to thank Araina, Erin and Sierra for sharing Brian with us. We will forever be in your debt.

I think it would be appropriate to quote a song in his honor and let it be a lesson to us all:

A hand above the water
An angel reaching for the sky
Is it raining in Heaven –
Do you want us to cry?
And everywhere the broken-hearted
On every lonely avenue
No-one could reach them
No-one but you

One by one
Only the Good die young
They’re only flying too close to the sun
And life goes on
Without you

Another tricky situation
I get to drowning in the Blues
And I find myself thinking
Well – what would you do?

Yes! – it was such an operation
Forever paying every due
Hell, you made a sensation
You found a way through

One by one
Only the Good die young
They’re only flying to close to the sun
We’ll remember
Forever

And now the party must be over
I guess we’ll never understand
The sense of your leaving
Was it the way it was planned?

And so we grace another table
And raise our glasses one more time
There’s a face at the window
And I ain’t never, never saying goodbye

One by one
Only the Good die young
They’re only flying to close to the sun
Crying for nothing
Crying for no-one
No-one but you

— No One But You by Queen

Goodbye Brother.