[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 6 (Wednesday, January 11, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E77-E78]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


              SERVICE AND COMMITMENT TO EASTERN LONG ISLAND

                                 ______


                         HON. MICHAEL P. FORBES

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, January 11, 1995
  Mr. FORBES. Mr. Speaker, Edward V. Ecker, Sr. of Montauk, Long 
Island, NY, a community in my congressional district, continues to live 
the classic American dream in his very full life, and so it is with 
pleasure that we honor him for his ongoing and outstanding service and 
commitment to the east end. Mr. Ecker's list of accomplishments and 
friends reads like a Who's Who: from his youth to the present.
  Mr. Eckert, a graduate of Montauk School, went on to be a star 
athlete at East Hampton High School and later attended Syracuse 
University on a football scholarship. After a tour of duty with the 
Army in the Korean war, he came home and worked as a probation officer. 
His gregarious, loving nature has held him in good stead throughout the 
years as a very popular elected official and recognized political pro.
  As an East Hampton town supervisor and town councilman, he was the 
youngest in New York State. In addition he was the commissioner of 
jurors and the deputy commissioner of Suffolk County parks.
  When his lifelong friend, Perry B. Duryea, Jr. ran for the State 
Assembly in 1960 and was elected speaker in 1969--the last Republican 
speaker of that body--Eddie Ecker was a key strategist and top advisor.
  Currently he is assistant deputy commissioner of the Suffolk County 
Board of Elections and is a Republican committeeman, having once been 
the Republican town leader.
  [[Page E78]] For 47 years he has been a Montauk volunteer fireman. He 
also served as fire police captain. For 29 years he had been the master 
of ceremony for the St. Patrick Parade in Montauk, as well as serving 
as past grand marshal.
  Many of us are regular listeners of Ed's as he broadcasts high school 
sports weekends over Radio Eastern Long Island, WLNG. In the 
entertainment world he appeared in several movies--``Joe vs. Volcano,'' 
``Awakenings,'' and Woody Allen's ``Manhattan Murder Mystery''--and a 
number of commercials including one for Prudential Life and Ray Ban 
sunglass. Business Week magazine also ran a feature article on Mr. 
Ecker.
  Eddie Ecker has been a friend and a big influence in my life. He got 
me started over 20 years ago as an aid to Speaker Duryea. I've learned 
a lot about politics and government from Eddie. It is a point of high 
personal privilege to have this opportunity to stand with my colleagues 
in the 104th Congress in the first in 40 years to have a Republican 
majority--to recognize the tremendous accomplishments of our own ``Mr. 
Republican.'' Eddie Ecker, a man whose love for family, for country, 
and for community serves as a bavon for us all. God bless you, Eddie.


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