"It has been a great ride for me," said Leo Bonser, in speaking of his 38-year career with the SIU. Bonser, 57, retired April 1.Born in Rochester, Minn., he began sailing with the SIU in 1965, first as an ordinary seaman aboard Sea-Land's Gateway City and later as an AB aboard Waterman Steamship Corp.'s Yaka and Isthmian's Steel Worker. He also later earned a limited master's license.
Bonser came ashore in 1967 and worked as an organizer in the port of New York. When the Seafarers Lundeberg School of Seamanship opened that year in Piney Point, Md., he accompanied the first busload of trainees to the facility and became the bosun in charge of the young recruits.
In 1968, Bonser went to San Francisco as a patrolman and also worked on Hubert Humphrey's presidential campaign. After that, his services were enlisted by the SIU all across the country--as a union representative in Wilmington, Calif., Alaska and New York and then as port agent in Jacksonville, Fla. While in Wilmington, he was involved with the bid to organize Howard Hughes' deep-sea salvage vessel, the Glomar Explorer.
Bonser returned to headquarters in 1982, first as deputy administrator and then as administrator of the plans. He finished up his seafaring career in Piney Point.
Reflecting on his years with the SIU, Bonser said he derived great job satisfaction, especially in being part of a union-building team and in helping the trainees develop their potential as well-trained, successful merchant mariners.
Upon his retirement, Bonser's career had come full circle. In 1967, after a 3 1/2-month voyage to the Far East aboard the Steel Worker, Bonser and the ship's crew arrived in New York for a payoff by Patrolman Mike Sacco. And so, at a recent retirement party held for him in Piney Point, it was fitting that Mike Sacco, now president of the union, yet again presented Bonser with his thanks for a job well done, this time in the form of an SIU ship's wheel (with clock). He also received a plaque of appreciation from the school for all his contributions.
Bonser's son, Leo Jr., who has his master's license, recently worked as a mate aboard a gaming vessel in Indiana. His daughter, Jamie, is a student at Salisbury University in Salisbury, Md. Bonser and his wife, Nancy, continue to live in California, Md., where he hopes to have lots of time to enjoy racing his sailboat, flying airplanes and doing a bit of horseback riding.
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