Bud Raftery
American labor union leader
About Bud Raftery
Lived 1918 – 1986 (aged 67–68).
Sylvester Frank "Bud" Raftery (November 30, 1918 – November 20, 1986) was an American labor union leader.
Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Raftery was the son of Lawrence M. Raftery. He became a sign painter at the age of 16, and joined the Brotherhood of Painters, Decorators and Paperhangers of America (BPDPA), in which his father was also active.
Raftery served with the Seebees in the Pacific during World War II. In the early 1950s, his father became president of the BPDPA, and he appointed Bud as its full-time director of jurisdiction. In 1964, he succeeded his father as union president.
Raftery retired in 1984 due to poor health. He died two years later.
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Important facts
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Bud Raftery's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Bud Raftery?
American labor union leader (1918–1986)
When was Bud Raftery born?
Bud Raftery was born in 1918.
When did Bud Raftery die?
Bud Raftery died in 1986.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Bud Raftery. https://biography.guide/bud-raftery/
MLA: "Bud Raftery." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/bud-raftery/.
Chicago: "Bud Raftery." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/bud-raftery/.
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