[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 149 (Thursday, December 1, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: December 1, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                             MARTIN R. GARA

 Mr. SIMON. Mr. President, Martin R. Gara, a member of my 
staff, passed away on November 16.
  Marty was a diligent worker who was enthusiastic about his job, just 
as he was enthusiastic about life. He was struck down by a sudden, 
severe attack of asthma. On December 21 he would have celebrated his 
24th birthday.
  Marty is survived by Thomas and Therese Gara, his parents; by two 
brothers, Thomas M. and Daniel; by four sisters, Maureen Crocker, 
Marikay, Sheila, and Maggie; and by his grandmother, Margaret Quinn.
  Marty was a native of Chicago, graduating in 1989 from the Loyola 
Academy in Wilmette and in 1993 from Marquette University with degrees 
in political science and American history. In his eulogy to Marty, his 
cousin, the Rev. Robert Gara, speculated that Marty was ``the only 
Irishman who's taken eight years of German and could name every German 
general. He read history books like they were fiction.''
  Marty came to my office earlier this year, joining us as an intern, 
after interning with Congressman Tom Ewing of Illinois. His work was 
top-rate, and this summer Marty became a full-time member of my staff.
  Marty delighted in the time he spent with his young nephews and 
niece, and no one in the family could summon smiles and giggles from 
them as easily as Marty could. He took seriously his role as godfather 
to his nephew Eugene, who was born August 23. Another nephew, Aidan, 
was born last month, and his niece, Genna Gara, is two-and-a-half years 
old. In his good humor, in his sense of optimism about life, and in his 
intense curiosity about the world, ``Marty was a big kid himself,'' 
says his sister Maureen.
  Marty loved reading and he loved ideas, and he devoured books one 
after the other, a habit he set for himself in childhood. He and 
another member of my staff, Corbin Stone--who mirrors Marty's 
attributes of decency and compassion and curiosity--were close friends 
and regularly swapped books and then talked about what they had read.
  Another of Marty's passions was hockey. ``Fan'' is too mild a term to 
describe his allegiance to the Chicago Blackhawks. Marty's love for the 
sport led him to another hobby, roller blading, which he enjoyed at 
every opportunity.
  His personal achievements were many, but if you had asked Marty this 
fall what his greatest recent satisfaction was, he would have told you 
it was learning to sew on buttons.
  We knew Marty for his hard work. But much more than that, we knew 
Marty for his kindness. We knew him for his optimism. We knew him for 
his curiosity. We knew him as a good person and a good friend.
  The priest who led a second memorial service for Marty--this one in 
Washington--quoted these words in capturing some of what we feel and 
treasure in having known Marty:

       When through one man a little more love and goodness, a 
     little more light and truth come into the world, then that 
     man's life has had meaning.

  My staff and I join Marty's family and friends in mourning this loss, 
and we want them to know our gratitude for having had the chance to 
know Marty.

                          ____________________