Tom Lee, Beloved TWU Local 568 President, Dies at 65 After Cancer Battle
The aviation and labor community is mourning the loss of Tom Lee, a respected former President of Transport Workers Union Local 568, who passed away in March at the age of 65 following a courageous battle with cancer.
Lee, widely admired for his leadership and compassion, was honored with a heartfelt and symbolic send-off as his body was transported from Miami International Airport (MIA) to his hometown in North Carolina. The tribute highlighted the deep respect he earned throughout his decades-long career.
At MIA, the American Airlines Miami Honor Guard Detail Unit, led by Recording Secretary Larry Bushley, conducted a solemn military-style ceremony in Lee’s honor. His casket was then flown to Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU), where fellow union members continued the tribute with care and dignity. Upon arrival, the airport fire department delivered a moving water-cannon salute, a rare and meaningful gesture reserved for distinguished individuals.
“Tommy was one of the good guys,” said Alex Garcia, International Executive Vice President of the Transport Workers Union and a former Local 568 President. “He genuinely cared about his co-workers and had a positive impact on many lives.”
Tom Lee began his career in 1987, helping open the then-new RDU hub before transferring to Miami in the early 1990s. Over the years, he held several key roles within Local 568, ultimately serving two terms as president. He retired in 2017 after decades of dedicated service and also contributed at the national level as a member of the TWU International Executive Board.
Colleagues and union members remember Lee as a “gentle giant” and a “people’s president” whose leadership style was defined by empathy, integrity, and unwavering commitment to workers’ rights.
Tom Lee’s legacy will live on through the countless lives he touched, the workers he advocated for, and the enduring impact he made within the labor movement.