We were heartbroken to learn that our friend and colleague Tim Liszewski died at his home in Columbia on March 28 of coronavirus, which he likely contracted at an Indivisible conference in Wisconsin. He was 60 years old, and leaves behind two children, Aaron and Rebecca Liszewski.

Tim was to be married in May to his longtime partner, Maris Burton. Instead, she is planning his memorial, which will be held when it is safe to gather. Meanwhile, Maris herself is recovering at the home she shares with her sister, Barb.

After feeling sick for a week and suspecting that it might be coronovirus, Tim was tested on March 21. He was told they would get results in 2-5 days, but it wasn’t until four days after his death that the coroner’s office confirmed that he had tested positive. Maris is frustrated that they did not know sooner so they could warn others with whom they’d been in contact.

Their story lays bare the state’s slow response to the pandemic and lack of transparency in testing and tracking of Covid-19 cases in South Carolina. The governor has yet to issue a stay-at-home order, making ours one of just 12 states without one. Tim, who worked as one of the Network’s ACA Navigators in 2013-2014, would be angered by the way the pandemic is playing out here and in other states that refused to expand Medicaid, as detailed in this story.

We got to know Tim when he moved to Columbia in 2005 from his native Cleveland, Ohio, to serve as director for the Carolina Peace Resource Center, a longtime Network member. He would go on to work for various political campaigns, in South Carolina and out of state, but stayed in touch. The last time we saw him was at our Fair Maps event at the State House on the first day of session to press lawmakers to end gerrymandering in South Carolina.

Tim was mild mannered and big hearted. He lived his values. Alongside Maris, he helped feed homeless people in Columbia through Food Not Bombs, and volunteered regularly at Nickelodeon Theater. In a story in The State about his work helping people access health care, Tim said, “This is not a job, it’s a lifestyle.”

Tim was one of 19 Occupy Columbia protesters arrested in November 2010 after refusing to bow to Gov. Nikki Haley’s order to evacuate the State House grounds. Charges were later dropped, and Occupiers were each awarded a $10,000 settlement for violation of their First Amendment rights.

At a hearing during the Occupy Columbia saga, which played out for months, Tim spoke on behalf of those arrested. “There are lobbyists and people with money who are occupying inside the State House. This was our symbolic representation of us taking back the State House grounds for all of the citizens, not just the citizens with influence and with money.”

Tim graduated from the Modjeska Simkins School in 2017. In a blog post about the session he said, “Knowing there are people younger than I am who are actually taking up the cause gives me hope and makes me less angry. Let’s make some change that lasts.”

Network Cochair Kyle Criminger had this to say about our colleague. “A creative, civilly disobedient Occupier of Columbia, a first-rate ‘commandant’ (his word) of the Progressive Network’s efforts with the ACA Health Insurance Marketplace, and a senior regional leader of the Indivisible Project, Tim was an astute community organizer, laser-sharp with his words and with purposeful quips. He always studied and adapted in order to be effective where his feet hit the ground beside his fellow progressives. The social justice movement will miss him.”

The Network sends our collective love to Maris, and to her and Tim’s families.

Maris shared this message: Tim’s family, my sister Barb and myself are overwhelmed at the amazing outpouring of love, respect and kindness you are sharing about Tim (and me). He would be embarrassed at the fuss and then say, “is it true? Do they really mean that?” Yes Tim, you are loved by me and so many more. So thank you all for your words and your “Service in Action” that Tim practiced daily. Our lawn looks amazing, we are being fed, groceries supplied, laundry done! and a continuing offer for other services we will be needing. We feel the love. I am working on getting rid of my virus symptom of “the cough and fatigue” and being well enough to tackle household tasks. Be kind, do good deeds, wash hands and take this seriously. It kills.