[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]

 
                   TRIBUTE TO ASHLEY DANIELLE HAMMOND

  Mr. NICKLES. Mr. President, I am saddened to report that early 
Tuesday morning, the Senate lost a vibrant and enthusiastic young staff 
member, Ashley Hammond, to cancer at the age of 23. She served as a 
staff assistant for the Republican Policy Committee, of which I am 
chairman.
  Ashley Hammond was a talented, exuberant, and delightful young woman. 
She faced her cancer with courage and strength. Throughout her ordeal, 
she always maintained a positive outlook and encouraged others by her 
cheerfulness and caring attitude. The cancer which took her life never 
did take away those attributes of character for which she will be 
remembered.
  My family and I extend our condolences to Ashley's family. I know 
that I also speak for the Policy Committee staff, the staff of my 
Senate office, and many others within the congressional community. We 
miss Ashley, and we pray that her family will be comforted and 
strengthened.
  Ashley joined the Policy Committee staff in the fall of 1993. I was 
eager to hire her because she had interned in my Senate office in the 
summer of 1991 and had distinguished herself in that capacity. When she 
completed her bachelor's degree, I was pleased that she agreed to 
rejoin my Senate staff. Shortly after beginning her job in the Policy 
Committee Office, she learned that she had cancer.
  Ashley fought her personal battle with courage and perseverance. Most 
of the staff for many months did not know she had cancer: She just 
wanted to continue on with her normal life and do her job. Even after 
the repeated bouts with chemotherapy took away her beautiful shoulder-
length brown hair, Ashley maintained her composure and her sense of 
humor. She was the first person any visitor to the Policy Committee 
would see, acting as our hostess with her warm smile beneath her newly 
acquired baseball cap. If she was embarrassed by her appearance, no one 
could ever tell. She continued to come into work, even on days when her 
condition was so weak that the office manager would be forced to send 
her home. She loved working as much as her fellow staffers loved having 
her there.
  Ashley earned a degree in English from Sweet Briar College in the 
spring of 1993. While at Sweet Briar, she was very active on the campus 
and within the community. She chaired the College Republicans and was 
an officer of the junior class. She also was a member of the lacrosse 
team and the diving team. She was honored by being chosen to 
participate in leadership development programs and interned with the 
Office of Community Planning and Development in Lynchburg, VA. She 
later was a volunteer at a children's cancer clinic. Little did she 
know that her selfless service at that clinic would be recalled as she, 
too, would have her own battle with cancer.

  Ashley's high school years were equally busy and productive. She was 
graduated in 1989 from Casady Episcopal Day School in Oklahoma City 
where she participated in numerous school and civic activities. 
Somewhere between soccer and French Club and yearbook and field hockey 
and cheerleading and civic work she found time to volunteer at the 
Canterbury Nursing Home and to help with the Harvest II Food Drive. In 
an expression of her faith, she was also a member of the Fellowship of 
Christian Athletes.
  During her junior high and high school years she was a counselor at 
Kamp Kristley, an Oklahoma City day camp for children ages 3-12. During 
high school and college years she worked at Allied Drilling Fluids of 
Oklahoma City.
  We have lost a friend, a coworker, and an outstanding young woman. We 
have also lost a talented broadcast journalist because Ashley had 
planned to work on the Hill for a few years, and then return to school, 
get a degree in communications, and become a political reporter for 
CNN. She would have been terrific.
  We all will deeply miss her and, at the same time, we are grateful 
for having known this warm and very special person. May God grant her 
family peace and comfort with the knowledge of His love.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from New York.
  Mr. MOYNIHAN. Mr. President, may I offer on behalf of the Members of 
this side, our condolences, indeed, to the Senator from Oklahoma for 
truly a lovely person who will be missed.

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