[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 48 (Thursday, April 28, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: April 28, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
          ROBERTA G. TOOLE, FRIEND OF THE INDEPENDENT INVENTOR

                                 ______


                       HON. HELEN DELICH BENTLEY

                              of maryland

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 28, 1994

  Mrs. BENTLEY. Mr. Speaker, Roberta Toole had many friends across the 
country because she fought unceasingly for the rights of the 
independent inventor. Bobby, as she was known to her friends, died on 
February 28, 1994, at her home in University City, MO. She was 
executive director of the United Inventors Association and she had 
previously held a similar post with the St. Louis Inventors 
Association.
  Bobby was the heartbeat for inventors throughout the country. She 
also lead a support group to help protect the rights of inventors. She 
was a firm and gentle support to everyone who knew her and worked with 
her. A friend, Bobby was remembered by inventors and people working 
with inventors all over the country. I ask unanimous consent that their 
statements be included in the Record.

       Bobby considered the independent inventor community as an 
     extended family. Yes, we were her friends, but friendship 
     doesn't explain the intensity with which she fought for the 
     rights of independent inventors everywhere. This is evident 
     in the many tributes to her memory received from all over the 
     Nation, some of which follow.
       ``Bobby Toole was a woman of tremendous creativity and 
     energy, dedicated to bringing the issues and concerns of 
     America's independent inventors to the highest policy levels 
     possible. She was an impressive woman, and we, at the U.S. 
     Patent and Trademark Office, deeply regret her untimely and 
     unexpected death on February 28, 1994.''--Bruce A. Lehman, 
     Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Commissioner of Patents 
     and Trademarks.
       ``She was a great American and did a great deal for the 
     innovative spirit in America.''--Donald Banner, Former 
     Commissioner of Patents and Trademarks.
       ``All of us who knew her will miss her energy, dedication, 
     and devotion to the needs of independent inventors.''--Terry 
     Levinson, DOE Inventions and Innovation.
       ``Bobby has worked tirelessly on behalf of inventors across 
     America, working to enhance their image, to protect their 
     rights and promote their success. She will be sorely 
     missed.''--Donald Job, UIA-USA President.
       ``I guess I won't be saying good-bye to good friend, Bobby 
     Toole. She lives on in the national inventor support network 
     she helped start. We will miss her, of course, but we'll 
     continue to be inspired by her feisty courage and selfless 
     dedication in support of America's inventors.''--Don Kelly, 
     U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, Washington, D.C.
       ``Some know it's happening, some see it happen, others 
     wonder what happened. Bobby made it happen.''--Norman 
     Parrish, National Congress of Inventor Organizations.
       ``She proved that one person can make a difference.''--
     Joanne Hayes, Inventors Digest.
       ``Without her there never would have been a UIA. She was 
     incredible.''--Phil Knapp, New York Society of Professional 
     Inventors.
       ``No one worked harder for independent inventors.''--Don 
     Costar, Nevada Inventors Association.
       ``If she had any faults--she devoted more of herself to 
     independent inventors than she had to give.''--Clayton 
     Williamson, Kansas Association of Inventors.
       ``The hard work she has done in the last few years has been 
     extraordinarily beneficial to the inventor community.''--
     Maggie Weisberg and Mel Fuller, M & M Associates.
       ``Bobby Toole spent her final years in earnest pursuit of a 
     better world for independent inventors, including publicizing 
     the achievements of women and minority inventors. We've lost 
     a great advocate and patriot.''--Anne Kelly, U.S. Patent and 
     Trademark Office, Washington, D.C.
       ``Her dedication and efforts to further the cause of 
     independent inventors will be greatly missed by the members 
     of that community.''--Dick Nichols, Inventure Place, Home of 
     National Inventors Hall of Fame.
       ``A spark plug who brought energy, light, enthusiasm, and 
     guts--she gave everything she had including financial 
     resources to make the UIA a reality.''--Jenny Servo, 
     Dawnbreakers, Inc.

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