ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, March 17, 1997 TAG: 9703170085
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
DATELINE: WASHINGTON
TYPE: NEWS OBIT
Cyril F. Brickfield, who led the American Association of Retired Persons for 20 years as it grew into a major advocacy group, has died after a battle with cancer. He was 78.
Brickfield took the helm of the AARP in 1967, when the organization of Americans 50 and older had just 1 million members. By his retirement in 1987, it had reached 28 million members.
As executive director, Brickfield instituted many of the lobbying programs that made the AARP an influential public policy advocate for Social Security, Medicare, age discrimination and consumer protection.
He was an Army Air Corps major in World War II, decorated for flying 50 combat missions in B-17 bombers over Europe.
Brickfield is survived by his wife Ann and two grown children.
-ASSOCIATED PRESS
LENGTH: Short : 28 linesby CNB