OntheWilderSide

The full memorial piece is: here.

Esther S. Pank, 75, longtime peace activist and organizer died November ­­20 of pancreatic cancer at her home in Reston, Virginia. The daughter of Clarence and Audrey Sylar of Lake County California, she attended UCLA­ Berkley briefly before enlisting in the Army at the age of 18. She was stationed at Ft. Meyer in Arlington and served in the office of the Judge Advocate General at the Pentagon where she was awarded a National Defense Service Medal …

In the late 1960’s, Ms. Pank, inspired by leaders of the Catholic social justice movement, began working with area organizations on Long Island, New York in support of migrant worker causes and the growing anti war movement. In the late 1970s throughout the 1980’s she organized against the proliferation of nuclear arms, facilitated workshops on non­violent civil disobedience and together with her second husband, Riley Bostrom, led a successful grass­roots movement that culminated in the successful abandonment of a fully completed nuclear power plant in Shoreham, NY. In 1990, Ms.Pank and Mr. Bostrom were the recipients of the War Resisters League 29th Annual Peace Award.

Survivors include her partner and husband of over 30 years, Roland C. Bostrom and children, Marey Oakes of Reston, Bryan Pank of Valencia California, Judith Strain of Westerville, Ohio, Jennifer Snyder of Huntington, NY, step daughter, Vida Fitzgerald of Manhattan, NY and 11 grandchildren. She also leaves behind a brother, John Sylar of Taylorsville, Utah.

A memorial service will be held at 11 am on Saturday December 11 at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Fairfax, 2709 Hunter Mill Rd, Oakton. It will be preceded by a brief ceremony commemorating her ashes to the UUCF Memorial Grove. All are invited to intend. The family requests that in lieu of flowers donations be made to War Resisters League, 339 Lafayette St., NYC 10012 or UUCF ­ Social Justice Committee.

via In Memoriam, Esther Pank (a site with photos and comments from friends and relatives)

Filed under: activism, Anti-War, Environment, local, long island, Long Island Politics, News, Peace Tagged: | Esther Pank, Esther S Pank, Long Island environmentalists, Long Island obituaries, Long Island peace, Riley Bostrom, Roger Snyder, Roland Bostrom, War Resisters League