Herbert "Bud" Aronson

1924 - 2021

We lost our father on January 27, 2021. He was a great humanitarian, environmentalist, and athlete.

Bud from Springfield, MA a life long champion of civil rights, from his early days as a young man in high school when he left the lunch counter with an African American friend who was refused service, to his days as a union organizer with AFL-CIO and SEIU, marching with Cesar Chavez in California during the farm worker's protests of the 1960s, and active with the anti Vietnam movement. He fought for the rights of hard working people throughout his life.

He loved the outdoors, hiking the Sierras, Hawaii, and Europe. His greatest love was running. He ran throughout his life, even competing at the senior Olympics.

His wife, Doris Aronson, who preceded him in death, was also a dedicated runner. Their house was filled with trophies.

Bud was a Marine stationed in Hawaii during WWII. During the war he attended Dartmouth and later graduated from the University of Michigan and wrote for the renowned Michigan Daily paper.

He met our mother, Paula Edelman, at the paper, both as reporters. They married and moved to California where Bud taught at Stanford University. After a move to LA, they finally settled in Sacramento. They had six children. Later divorced, he met and married Doris Mae Mitchell.

His dream to go back to Hawaii was realized in 1967 when he returned to live and work for the ILWU as a union rep organizing hotel workers on Oahu. They eventually moved to Maui, living "up country" in Haiku where he co-founded and was first chairman of the Maui Chapter of the Sierra Club. They also owned a small store while raising goats, gardening, and living happily for many years.

In the mid 1980s they moved back to New England where he had grown up. After one freezing winter in Vermont they moved to Massachusetts where he taught at nearby colleges and was a reporter for the local newspaper. They were also snowbirds spending winters in Florida.

Bud remained active, involved, healthy still walking 2-3 miles daily, lifting weights and keeping up on world affairs right up until Covid-19 stole his life.

Bud is survived by his 6 children, Ethan Aronson of San Francisco, CA, David Aronson (Mary Ellen) of Monson, MA, Anita Cook and Susan Aronson (Willie Pelote) of Sacramento, CA, Wendy Aronson of Mill Valley, CA, Tina Burt (Kelly) of Kentfield, CA, and 9 grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by parents Abraham P. Aronson, Mary Aronson (Fine), brother Melvin Aronson (Jerry), sisters Shirley Baldwin (Ted) and Anita Skole (Alan).

He will be greatly missed.