Van Alan Sheets Remembered

Van Alan Sheets, associate director of AFSCME’s Political Action Department and a 17-year employee of the union, was hailed a “dedicated trade unionist” at a memorial service Oct. 29 in Washington, D.C.

Sheets, 46, died Oct. 23 after a valiant battle with the AIDS virus.

AFSCME Pres. Gerald W. McEntee called Sheets not only “a skilled political operative” but also “a true believer” of the labor movement. “Van walked the walk.”

After joining AFSCME in 1982, Sheets working in the Political Action De-partment. He switched over to the AFSCME PEOPLE Department in 1987 and was responsible for starting PEOPLE fundraising programs in Alaska, Delaware, Massachusetts and Michigan.

He also worked on President Clinton’s 1992 inaugural and the union’s Health Care Reform campaign.

Sheets actively worked for the labor movement within the gay community and the Democratic Party. He was the driving force behind the formation of “Pride At Work,” the official AFL-CIO organization of gays and lesbians.