Nixon Appointed Federal Way's John Stender First Leader Of Osha

John Stender helped make the workplace safer for everyone.

Mr. Stender, appointed 20 years ago by former President Richard Nixon to assistant secretary of the Labor Department, became the first person to head the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

"I think being appointed director of OSHA, and getting that started was what he was proudest of - making the workplace safer for working people," said King County Councilman Paul Barden.

Mr. Stender died in his hometown of Federal Way Saturday after a six-month battle with bone cancer. He was 76.

Born in Montana, Mr. Stender attended Rocky Mountain College in Billings before joining the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, Iron Shipbuilders, Forgers and Helpers (AFL-CIO).

He stayed in the union 45 years and served on the Boilermakers' executive council.

But a love of politics led Mr. Stender to become an executive board member of the King County Republican Club. He was elected Republican Man of the Year in 1961. Mr. Stender was a rarity: a Republican who enjoyed broad support from organized labor.

In 1962, he was elected to the state Senate, where he represented the 30th District. He served three four-year terms as a senator until he moved to Washington, D.C., to head OSHA.

In 1975, he was appointed by President Ford to assistant secretary of the Selective Service Administration, and the following year, was appointed to a labor affairs job in the Environmental Protection Agency.

Despite a distinguished career, Mr. Stender never lost perspective.

"He never was carried away with his position, or carried away with having power. He was very humble, and had a great sense of humor," said Richard Marquardt, former state insurance commissioner, who served withMr. Stender in the Legislature.

Mr. Stender had a reputation for carefully weighing the facts before making a decision, but once he made up his mind, that was it.

"John was always willing to help if he believed you were right, but if he had his mind made up - even if you were his best friend - he'd be polite but say, `I can't go along with you.' He was very firm in his convictions," said Marquardt.

Marquardt also recalled that Mr. Stender's humor kept other legislators loose - even when the mood was tense - during sessions on whether to raise taxes.

"Everybody would be uptight. And John would stroll down the aisle with this grin that would make you laugh a bit," he said. "He had a great ability to relieve the tension, and to bring things down to earth."

When not working, Mr. Stender loved playing golf. He and his wife Mary Ruth were members of the Twin Lakes Golf and Country Club in Federal Way.

Otherwise, Mr. Stender shunned the political limelight and spent his spare time at home with his family. "He always seemed to be home when he wasn't on the job," Barden said.

Mr. Stender is survived by his wife Mary Ruth, formerly of Arlington, Va.; his daughter Joann Stender of Seattle; his sons, John Stender Jr. of Sandy, Utah and James Stender of Kent; a step-daughter, Joan Springer of Lexington, Ky.; his brother Carl Stender of Corpus Christi, Texas; his sister Evelyne Sanders of Springfield, Ark.; six grandchildren, and six step-grandchildren.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 21, in the Steel Lake Presbyterian Church, 1829 S. 308th St., Federal Way. His body will be buried at Washington Memorial Cemetery in SeaTac.