2905 Hon. Adam Smith Hon. Eddie Bernice Johnson Hon

March 5, 2012 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS, Vol. 158, Pt. 2 2905 PERSONAL EXPLANATION COMMEMORATION OF MARIA D. Ruth Willner, who passed away on February FERNANDES 28, 2012, after a lengthy and valiant battle with cancer. My heart goes out to her two chil- HON. ADAM SMITH HON. FRANK PALLONE, JR. dren, Paul and Julia; her granddaughter, Eryn; OF NEW JERSEY and her many friends and family members. OF WASHINGTON IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Ruth was an extraordinary citizen, an advo- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Monday, March 5, 2012 cate for her community, and a good friend and loyal supporter. I first got to know Ruth’s Monday, March 5, 2012 Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to strength and passion in the 1980s, when she commemorate the life and legacy of Maria D. Mr. SMITH of Washington. Mr. Speaker, on was the Chairperson of the Committee for Fernandes of Sea Bright, New Jersey. Mayor Harmony in Monterey Park, which was formed Monday, February 27, 2012, I was unable to Fernandes served the constituents of Sea be present for recorded votes. Had I been to defeat a proposed English-only and anti-im- Bright for 16 years and retired in January migrant ordinance in our hometown. Thanks to present, I would have voted ‘‘yes’’ on rollcall 2012. She passed away on Sunday, February Ruth’s tireless efforts we succeeded in defeat- vote No. 73 (on the motion to concur in the 26, 2012 at the age of 59. Throughout her il- ing that ordinance. lustrious career, the Mayor continued to pre- Senate amendment to H.R. 347). A native of East Los Angeles, Ruth attended serve and enhance the quality of life for Sea Roosevelt High School and earned degrees Bright residents. Her service is truly worthy of f from Los Angeles Community College and TIC this body’s recognition. Berkeley. A widower, she was married to her HONORING NORMAN L. HENRY Maria Fernandes served as Sea Bright Bor- ough Mayor from 2008 until 2011. She was husband Irv for 56 years and lived in Monterey proud to be the first Portuguese-American fe- Park for 52 years. HON. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON male Mayor in the state of New Jersey and Ruth truly loved her community. She was in- the third in the United States. Before becom- volved in too many community groups, com- OF TEXAS ing Mayor, Ms. Fernandes was elected to the missions and organizations to name here, in- cluding the city’s Blue Ribbon Budget Com- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Sea Bright Borough Council in 1997 and served in this capacity through 2007. She was mittee, the School District Formation Com- Monday, March 5, 2012 appointed Sea Bright Council President from mittee, Friends of the Library, Concerned Citi- 2003 through 2005 and was an active partici- zens, and the anti-casino and anti-billboard Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas. pant and member of the Sea Bright Planning committees, to name a few. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the work of and Zoning Board from 1996 through 2011. As As a 35-year member of the Pasadena Mr. Norman L. Henry, President and Executive a member of the Borough Council, she imple- League of Women Voters, Ruth played an in- Director of Builders of Hope CDC. Builders of mented a program to add the North and South tegral role in educating and informing our local Hope CDC is a Community Housing Develop- Beach areas to the monthly street cleaning electorate. As program chair she shed light on ment Corporation in Dallas that has dem- schedule. Sea Bright now has regularly sched- issues as varied as NAFTA, Environmental onstrated its commitment to revitalizing com- uled street cleaning services once a month as Justice, Immigration and Welfare Reform, and munities through the construction of energy-ef- a result of Mayor Fernandes’ initiatives. Her as a member of the Speakers’ Bureau for 25 ficient, environmentally-friendly homes that are leadership abilities also led to her appointment years she presented pro and con forums on also accessible to low and moderate-income as Chair of the Sea Bright Public Works Com- countless ballot issues and moderated scores families. mittee in which she assisted in consolidating of candidate forums. services and improving the accessibility and A true believer in the political process, Ruth Under Mr. Henry’s leadership, Builders of cleanliness of the local beaches. As Public was a member of the Monterey Park Demo- Hope CDC has led the way in quality afford- Works Committee Chair, she also managed cratic Club since 1967, where she served as able housing in the Dallas area. Since accept- the Sea Bright Downtown Infrastructure Im- past president and ran the club’s newsletter ing the position as President in 2000, Mr. provement Project (DIIP), addressing the for 20 years. She also was an elected mem- Henry has overseen a fourfold increase in the flooding in downtown Sea Bright. Other ber of the L.A. County Democratic Party for 12 output of affordable homes across several projects during Mayor Fernandes’ tenure on years and served as corresponding secretary neighborhoods throughout West and South the Borough Council have included the imple- for the party. Dallas. Utilizing over 21 years of experience in mentation of the free parking system and the She was a tireless campaigner, walking pre- the non-profit management and affordable negotiation of multiple shared services con- cincts and phone banking for George Brown housing field, Mr. Henry has built, remodeled, tracts with neighboring towns. for Assembly, serving as the San Gabriel Val- and sold over 224 affordable homes. Mayor Fernandes is predeceased by her ley Coordinator to End the War in Vietnam, Father Ernest Fernandes and her Maternal and volunteering for Hubert Humphrey and With the housing market collapse in 2008, Grandmother, Jesuina Diaz. Surviving is her George McGovern, among many others. countless Americans have either lost their Mother, Adelina Fernandes of Sea Bright. I urge my House colleagues to join me in homes entirely or now find the value of their Mr. Speaker, Mayor Maria Fernandes dedi- honoring Mrs. Ruth Willner for her record of homes to be less than the amounts they owe cated her life to serving the people and the civic activism, her indomitable spirit and her on a mortgage. Norman Henry, through the town of Sea Bright New Jersey. Her actions remarkable service and contributions to her work that he has done with Builders of Hope touched the hearts and minds of countless community and to our nation. men, women and children throughout Sea CDC, has contributed to keeping the American f Dream alive through the construction of these Bright and Monmouth County. Her legacy has homes. Quality and affordable housing should served as an inspiration to us all and she will HONORING CLARA SIMS not be out of reach for any American with the truly be missed. desire to purchase a home, and Mr. Henry f HON. HENRY C. ‘‘HANK’’ JOHNSON, JR. has helped to bring the pride of home owner- HONORING LONG-TIME MONTEREY OF GEORGIA ship to even more Americans. PARK RESIDENT AND COMMU- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Mr. Speaker, Norman Henry has helped to NITY ACTIVIST: MRS. RUTH Monday, March 5, 2012 WILLNER breathe new life into many West and South Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I Dallas communities through his revitalization submit the following Proclamation. efforts. His vision to revive otherwise decrepit HON. JUDY CHU Whereas, one hundred years ago a virtuous OF CALIFORNIA areas across Dallas will benefit countless peo- woman of God, Clara Bryant was born in Ox- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ple through expanded access to housing and ford, Georgia on March 1, 1912 to Charlie and improved quality of life. It is with great pleas- Monday, March 5, 2012 Lula Bryant; and ure that I honor the work of Mr. Norman Henry Ms. CHU. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to rec- Whereas, she was raised up in Rockdale for his contributions. ognize a great loss to our community, Mrs. County, Georgia and she married Mr. J.C

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