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OMA&D Mourns Loss of Roy Pleasant

Roy Pleasant, '71The Office of Minority Affairs and Diversity (OMA&D) mourns the loss of former recruitment coordinator Roy L. Pleasant, ’71, who passed away on Nov. 2, at the age of 65.

After graduating from the University of Washington with a bachelor’s degree in history, Pleasant worked with underrepresented, low-income and first generation students in OMA&D from 1972-74. He later worked at the Washington State Employment Security Department for 20 years where he received the Governor’s Award for Service and Quality Improvement, and was recognized in both the Southwest and Puget Sound regions of Washington state.

eNews - Winter 2014Pleasant touched the lives of many people through his advocacy work. He served as the executive director for PUSH for Excellence, a community-based organization, and was a public schools program director, a community college instructor and coach. In 1981, he founded the annual “Roots, Stems and Roses” Community Celebration held in his hometown of Yakima, Wash., as a way to strengthen both family and community bonds.

Pleasant was the youngest of 13 children and most recently resided in Portland, Ore.

The first of two memorial services was held Sat., Dec. 14, at 1 p.m. at the University of Washington’s Kane Hall. A second memorial will be held in Yakima, at the Southeast Yakima Community Center, on Sat., April 19 (1 p.m.). An obituary is available on the Yakima Herald web site.