McCree killed the other five workers, then turned a pistol on himself. Cathy Dunn and other members of Fort Lauderdale's community asked for a public memorial service commemorating not the tragic way in which these men died, but the good they did while living. For years these men were among those who kept Fort Lauderdale's beaches clean, usable, and beautiful enough to attract local residents and tourists by the hundreds of thousands. Gerald W. McEntee and Florida Council 79 Pres. Blondie Jordan, also an International vice president, took part in the memorial service.
Life is much like the sea and the beach they tended.
There is the pounding of the surf all day, the serene tranquility at night. But it is always there. We will miss these men but our lives are better today because they were here. Fort Lauderdale's mayor and other city officials also attended the memorial. The city has joined Local 532 in seeking a full investigation of the incident.