The ACLU of Ohio is saddened by the passing of David Westcott, a volunteer with the organization since 1998.
David had been a weekly volunteer at the ACLU office for over a decade. David worked every Monday getting membership renewals in the mail. A seemingly mundane task, he probably brought in more renewals than all of the staff combined.
His interest in the ACLU began more than fifteen years ago with a concern for death penalty issues. In recent years David had become particularly moved by the importance of ensuring the rights of people who want to speak out against the government. “There is so much watching, spying going on,” David once said, asserting his distaste for the loss of privacy in America today.
David’s compassion and quiet humor are well-known in the social justice community, as he volunteered his time to countless organizations through the years. A social worker by profession, he was a committed leader with International Partners in Mission, the West Side Ecumenical Ministry, Brookside Center, Jobs for Justice, Universal Health Care Action Network of Ohio and Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless.
Roger Baldwin, the founder of the ACLU, said, “As long as we have enough people in this country willing to fight for their rights, we’ll be called a democracy.” David’s dedication to freedom helped us ensure that this will be so.
We extend our deepest sympathies to David’s wife Gloria and their family, and to all who were touched by him.
- Read the Northeast Ohio Coalition for the Homeless (NEOCH)
blog post about David.
