Extensions of Remarks E1698 HON. LAMAR SMITH
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E1698 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks December 20, 2018 Ceres Police Department. He was sworn into CELEBRATING THE LIFE OF BILL Depression-era San Francisco on February the Sheriff’s Office in January of 1996, where NEWSOM 15, 1934 and raised on Jefferson St. at Baker, in the shadow of the Palace of Fine Arts. He he has served ever since. As Deputy Sheriff was the second and last surviving of six chil- he filled an impressive variety of roles as Pa- HON. NANCY PELOSI dren (Carole A. Onorato, Belinda B. (‘‘Bar- trol, K9 Handler and Supervisor, Bailiff, Field OF CALIFORNIA bara’’) Newsom, Brennan J. Newsom, Sharon Training Officer and Detective. As Sergeant he IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES C. Mohun, Patrick J. Newsom) born to Wil- was assigned to Patrol and supervised the liam A. Newsom, Jr. and Christine Newsom. Wednesday, December 19, 2018 Bill’s parents were Mission District Irish. High Tech Crimes Unit. As Lieutenant he Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I include the fol- His father, William A. Newsom, Jr., (b. 1902) worked in Homeland Security, Internal Affairs, lowing obituary from the San Francisco Chron- was a developer and civic leader who sur- and was the Northwest Area Commander. vived the 1906 earthquake and was closely as- icle honoring Bill Newsom: sociated with the late Gov. Edmund G. Sheriff Christianson has been a mainstay of Justice William A. (‘‘Bill’’) Newsom, pater- (‘‘Pat’’) Brown. Bill’s paternal grandfather, the community throughout his time in office. familias of a pioneering San Francisco fam- also William A. Newsom, born in San Fran- Public Safety facilities have been expanded ily and a revered figure to his children, cisco in 1865, was a contractor and early city grandchildren and expansive clan, ardent de- with more jail beds, a medical and mental father who later became an associate of A.P. fender of the environment, longtime San Giannini and opened the first branch office health care unit, and a day reporting center, Francisco civic leader and retired Justice of of the Bank of America at 29th and Mission while the significant Public Safety Restoration the California Court of Appeal, died on De- Streets in San Francisco. His maternal Plan was completed with the support and cember 12 from complications of old age. grandfather (b. 1872) was a longshoreman on funding of the Board of Supervisors. Sheriff Bill was a brilliant man of letters and lin- the San Francisco waterfront who had made Christianson capped off his tenure in office guistic genius who could bend the English his way from Ireland to San Francisco in the language to his will like few others. Avun- 1880s. with the completion of the Coroner’s Facility cular and sweet-natured, possessed of a wry Bill was privileged to have a superb edu- and the Re-Entry and Enhanced Alternatives and irreverent wit, fluent in French and cation, first under the tutelage of the good to Custody Training (REACT) Center. Italian, a master of allusion and superb with Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange and the impressions and accents, he was unexcelled French Marists (most of sturdy Breton Sheriff Christianson began a stellar aca- as a raconteur and bard. He was devoted to stock) at Ecole Notre Dame des Victoires, demic career by earning a Bachelor’s degree an astounding variety of literary and intel- then under the Jesuits at St. Ignatius High in Criminal Justice Management. He later lectual pursuits, peripatetic in his extensive School, from which he was graduated in 1951. graduated from the FBI Law Enforcement Ex- travels, and indefatigable in his commit- It was at SI that Bill first encountered many ecutive Development Course, the POST Exec- ments to civic and charitable endeavors, par- of his boon companions, including Lloyd ticularly to conservation and environmental Fabbri, Lou Felder, Gordon Getty, Paul utive Development Course and West Point causes. A noted bibliophile and oenophile, he Getty, Jim Halligan, Chris Malarkey, John Leadership in Police Organizations. He also frequently combined those loves with a Mallen and many more. Bill received his un- received an Executive Certificate from the third, his great love of music, particularly dergraduate degree in French Literature Commission on Peace Officer Standards and opera. Bill liked his poets Irish, but his food from the University of San Francisco in 1955; Training. Italian. He possessed an encyclopedic knowl- a Masters in English Literature from Stan- edge of natural history and natural science ford in 1961; and his law degree from Stan- Sheriff Christianson is married to the love of and loved adventuring in the out of doors ford in 1960. his life, Yvonne. Together they have two chil- with family and friends locally in California, Bill married the former Tessa Menzies in dren, Nicole and Kyle. He is looking forward to on the Colorado River through he Grand 1966. They were blessed with the birth of a son, Gavin, in 1967 and a daughter, Hilary, in spending more time with his family after retire- Canyon, in Alaska, Africa and beyond. He was an irrepressible patron of lost causes 1968. While Bill and Tessa were divorced in ment. who almost invariably took up on behalf of 1973, they maintained a close, familial rela- Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring and the underdog and the ‘‘little guy.’’ His empa- tionship for the rest of their lives. In his professional life, Bill was a Commis- commending the outstanding contributions thy and compassion were perpetually on dis- play; it would be foolhardy to try to cata- sioner of the San Francisco Superior Court made to public safety and Stanislaus County following law school before entering private logue his countless initiatives on behalf of practice as an attorney, first with the by Sheriff Adam Christianson and hereby wish the unfortunate, the downtrodden and the Lillick firm in San Francisco (1963–1965), him continued success in his future endeav- wronged, much less his constant individual then as an associate of the celebrated San acts of kindness. It is perhaps best simply to ors. Francisco trial attorney, James Martin observe that never did someone come to him Macinnis (1965–1966), and finally opening his for help and leave without it. f own private law practice in Tahoe City, CA A wonderful father to his own children and (1967–1975). He also served as an attorney for ‘‘Papapapap’’ to his six grandchildren, Bill REP. TED POE FAREWELL Getty Oil Italiana (based in Rome) in the was also a superb builder and cultivator of late 1960s. Bill was appointed by Gov. Jerry family. Be it in Squaw Valley (a central Brown first to the Placer County Superior gathering-place for the extended Newsom Court in 1975, and subsequently to the Cali- clan since the 1960 Winter Olympics), at the HON. LAMAR SMITH fornia Court of Appeals (First Appellate Dis- Monte Vista Inn or his treasured mountain OF TEXAS trict) in March 1978. He retired from the retreat in Dutch Flat, or on any of innumer- Court of Appeal in 1995. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES able family trips, he was never happier than Throughout his adult life, Bill served as a when surrounded by family in conviviality, legal and business advisor to his great child- Wednesday, December 19, 2018 holding court with a fire roaring, recounting hood friends, Gordon P. Getty and J. Paul adventures and tales, offering unforgettable (‘‘Paul’’) Getty, Jr., and later to many other Mr. SMITH of Texas. Mr. Speaker, today I’d impersonations, describing the San Fran- members of the Getty family. Among other like to recognize the first Republican to rep- cisco of his (and his father’s) youth, quoting formal roles, he served as Trustee of the resent the second district of Texas, TED POE. Chesterton and Belloc, Yeats and Heaney. Ronald Family Getty Trust from 1988 to 2011; Bill adored children and they in turn were as Trust Administrator for the Gordon Getty Before coming to Washington, TED was a drawn to him as to the Pied Piper. He re- Family Trust from 1994 to 2009; and as a Di- felony court judge in Harris County where he lated to them in the most authentic and en- rector and President of the Ann and Gordon was one of the youngest judges in the state. dearing way, not speaking at them but with Getty Foundation from 2011 until his pass- Known for his practical sentencing, his reputa- them, neither at his level nor theirs, but in ing. However, his most valuable service was some kind of magical blarney in between tion for telling it like it is accompanied him to in his informal capacity as a trusted con- that riveted them, made them laugh, and yet fidant and, first and foremost, a friend. Bill Congress. taught them something at every turn. They played an important role in the negotiations TED has always put his country first. From left his company—usually holding an armful for the release of Paul Getty’s son, J. Paul of books, and some money—knowing he was his time as a prosecutor to a Congressman Getty III, following his kidnapping in 1973. their ally, including especially in whatever At one time he considered a career in poli- protecting our borders and combating human mischief they might be planning with his tics, but Bill lost his first race for the State trafficking, he has always prioritized Ameri- consent, or perhaps even his connivance. Senate in 1968. (When asked why he lost, his can’s safety. (Bill loved to tweak the establishment, even answer was usually: ‘‘Because I ran against if that meant the parents of his co-conspira- the unbeatable Milton Marks.’’) Despite a I thank TED for his 14 years of public serv- tors!).