Edward Garvey

Madison - Edward R. Garvey died on February 22, 2017 with dignity and grace, from complications of Parkinson's Disease, surrounded by his family. A man of brilliance and wit, a maverick and pioneer at the NFLPA, and an icon in Wisconsin's progressive movement, he leaves us inspired to continue our fight for civil rights, campaign finance reform, disability rights and environmental protection at a dark moment in our country's history. He would remind us repeatedly throughout his life, "Don't mourn, organize."

Born in Burlington, Wisconsin to Edward C. and June Lockhart Garvey on April 18, 1940, he leaves behind two older sisters, Gail (Louvan) Nolting and Jean Henning. Ed fueled his lifelong passion for service beginning with a trip to Badger Boys State, and honed his competitive instincts on the golf course with his sister, Jean. He was Captain of the Golf Team (scratch) at the University of Wisconsin, he was elected president of the student body, and was enlisted in the ROTC. He was later elected president of the National Student Association and in this capacity, he served on the Board of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC). He traveled south in the early 1960's and participated in a sit-in in Jackson, Mississippi. He then served as Secretary-General of the International Student Association located in the Netherlands. He traveled internationally, met and was inspired by activists and leaders of social change and peace. After fulfilling his ROTC commitment, he returned to the University of Wisconsin Law School where he earned distinction of becoming a member of the Wisconsin Law Review and was elected to become a member of the Order of the Coif.

After graduating from law school, Ed joined the law firm of Lindquist and Vennum in Minneapolis and became counsel to the fledgling National Football League Players Association (NFLPA). Hall of Famer and then President of the NFLPA, John Mackey, asked him to become the NFLPA's first Executive Director. Under his leadership, the union grew in strength and he led the players through strikes in 1974 and 1982, leading the long struggle to apply antitrust laws to the NFL. He won major concessions from the owners, improving benefits and protections for players, and highlighting the lack of diversity in coaching, management and ownership in the NFL. He returned to Wisconsin as Deputy Attorney General to Bronson LaFollette in 1983 and crusaded for environmental protection and civil rights.

In 1986, he ran for U.S. Senate and drew national attention like his friend and longtime collaborator on progressive causes, the Rev. Jesse Jackson, by linking labor and environmental groups, urban workers and farmers, women's rights campaigners and the LGBTQ community into a mass-movement campaign. He secured the Democratic nomination and appeared to be headed for a victory when his opponent funded a smear campaign that was later deemed untrue.

He ran for Governor with Barbara Lawton as Lieutenant Governor in 1998. They barnstormed Wisconsin in an RV dubbed "the Underdog" and would not accept a political contribution over $100. She had the distinction of always speaking first because she felt it was tough to follow Ed who was a charismatic, gifted orator. He accepted his political defeats with humor and resolve while joking that the people of Wisconsin were simply voting for him to continue to fight the good fights as a private citizen.

Under the guidance of his mentor, Frank Remington, he developed and taught Sports Law at Catholic University and the University of Wisconsin Law School. He practiced law with Glenn Stoddard, Peter McKeever, his daughter, Kathleen, and many other lawyers fully committed to social justice and progressive ideals. He wrote a regular column for the Madison Capital Times, was the editor and publisher of Fighting Bob.com and was one of the founders of Fighting Bob Fest, an annual festival for progressives and those without a party. At its height, the festival attracted over 10,000 people to Baraboo, and brought notable national speakers and friends like Bernie Sanders, Jim Hightower, and Tom Harkin.

Although his professional accomplishments were many, his greatest pride and joy was always his family, particularly his four grandchildren, Maggie, Jack, Caroline and Teddy McNeil. He is survived by his cherished wife, Betty, with whom he shared 56 remarkable years of marriage and adventure. He is the proud and treasured father of three daughters: Pam (JD Watts), Kathleen (Joe) McNeil, and Lizzy; six nieces: Rhonda Henning, Jacqueline Henning, Stacy (Terrence) Sproull, Jill (Ricardo) Cisneros, Mary (Myles) Faulkner and Anne Miller, and many great nieces and nephew for whom he was the family patriarch. He had a special place in his heart for Lizzy and for the loving group of people who support her. His family is heartbroken by his passing but is honored to have shared and learned life's lessons with the world's best father/papa, teacher, and mentor.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at OUR LADY QUEEN OF PEACE CATHOLIC CHURCH, 401 South Owen Drive, Madison, on Saturday March 4, 2017, at 11:00 a.m. A visitation will be held at the church before the service beginning at 10:00 a.m. until the time of Mass. A private burial will follow. A true Irishman, Ed hoped friends would celebrate his life, and organize for progressive causes in an open house format from 1:00 - 5:00 pm at the Lussier Family Heritage Center, 3101 Lake Farm Road, Madison, WI. We hope you will share your memories and funny stories with all of us.

Special thanks to the devoted staff at Four Winds and Agrace Hospice who compassionately cared for Ed in his final days. In lieu of flowers, do a good deed, fight for democracy, protect the free press, or send memorials to National Public Radio, WI Public Radio at www.wpr.org , FightingBob Fest at www.progressive.org , or the Garvey Progressive Thought Lecture Fund #132908062 at the UW Wisconsin Union at www.supportuw.org His life and his death remind us of a quote from civil rights leaders that he often recited, "My feet are tired, but my soul is at rest."

Cress Funeral & Cremation Service
3610 Speedway Road, Madison
608-238-3434