Starting on August 7, 1950 Richard Bone embarked on a career that he would carry with him for a lifetime. Now 82 years old, Mr. Bone is about to accept his 65 year pin from Local 1263. At age 82 and after 65 years of service, Mr. Bone talks proudly but plain spoken of his contributions to the millwright’s union. When Mr. Bone came on in 1950, he was initially a carpenter out of Local 225. He spent four years in the Air Force from 1953 to 1957 as a draftsman and when he returned in 1958 he did his first millwright work and that led him to being one of the founding members of Local 1263 when it was formed in 1960.

To give an idea about Mr. Bone’s character, when asked about his time in the Air Force he will tell you he was a Draftsman and then starts to talk about how proud he is of his father, Guy Bone, who served in World War II. That sort of attitude is what he seems to live by both during his daily life and as a union millwright. When asked about his proudest accomplishment and contribution to the union, Mr. Bone doesn’t talk about the number of jobs he worked or how he increased the market share at that time or other things along the lines of accomplishment. Instead, he wants to talk about his family and the fact that he brought so many of his family into the union. He talks about his brother Doug, who was a Business Representative. He mentions his cousins Billy and Robert Bone and his grandson Scott Bone. This is what he is most proud of. He is proud of all of his family who he has brought in to join Local 1263. Then, he spends a little extra time talking about his sons Larry, Jason, and Dickie. It gives him a lot of joy knowing that he was, in part, responsible for the things they were able to accomplish. 

Dickie, who is now President of Local 1263 and is the President and a founding delegate of the Southern States Millwright Regional Council (SSMRC), had the special honor of presenting his own father with his 60 year pin and looks forward to able to do the same again this year with his 65 year pin. He says that, “Dad was all about getting a job finished on time and doing it correctly”. “If Dad had 30 minutes for lunch, he took 30 minutes for lunch and not 31 minutes. If he had a ten minute break, he took ten minutes. Dad had very little tolerance for being behind and having any task completed to standards less than perfect.” Mr. Bone claims that is what was taught to him by older members. He was taught to try to help out and do the best work he could possibly do. He says he was taught to, “Give a man a fair day’s work. Treat everyone fair and hope you get it back.” This is also what he wants to pass on to the younger members. He wants everyone to do a job the best they can and the best they know how to do. 

Training is a hallmark of the SSMRC and Mr. Bone wants upcoming millwrights to know that training is what will keep us strong. He says to never stop learning. When he was an apprentice he says that on- the- job training is all he had. There was no apprenticeship program like we have today. He says that training will benefit more than anything and he “would love today’s training”. He wants to encourage everyone to never stop training. Take advantage of what is offered that wasn’t offered years ago. This is the most beneficial and what will make the SSMRC the best it can be. 

Executive Secretary Treasurer Dennis Donahou says that, “Members like Richard Bone are the backbone of not only their home local, but the Council and the UBC as a whole. Richard’s work ethic and willingness to pass on his knowledge has benefitted countless millwrights.” Many people look up to Mr. Bone and try learn from a man who shrugs off his own accomplishments and instead talks about how proud he is of his family. There are still millwrights in the field today who are benefiting from Mr. Bone’s simple lesson of never stop learning and do the best you can do, the best you know how.