[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 182 (Thursday, November 16, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2195]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    FOUR WOMEN WHO MADE A DIFFERENCE

                                 ______


                           HON. DAN SCHAEFER

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, November 16, 1995

  Mr. SCHAEFER. Mr. Speaker, I would like to recognize four women who 
have played a vital role in the operation of Fitzsimons Army Medical 
Center in Aurora, CO: Mrs. Lorenza Manresa, Col. Suiko Kumagai, Col. 
Rita Geis, and Sister Michael Mary Eagan.
  Fitzsimons serves nearly one million beneficiaries in a 12-State area 
and is on the 1995 base closure list. This hospital's long history of 
care for our Nation's military personnel is exemplified in these four 
women, all of whom still live--and serve--in the community they served 
with such dedication. I salute them and offer here a brief description 
of each woman's selfless contributions.


                          Mrs. Lorenza Manresa

  Mrs. Manresa was born in the Philippines, where she began her nursing 
career. During World War II, she was attending to patients in a 
Philippine hospital when the Japanese burst into her ward as part of 
their invasion of that country. After becoming an American citizen 
following the war, she served with compassion as a nurse at Fitzsimons 
for over two decades.


                           Col. Suiko Kumagai

  Col. Kumagai, known to her friends as ``Sue,'' is a Denver native 
whose long experience includes serving as head of the 901-C medical 
school at Fitzsimons. Fluent in Japanese, Col. Kumagai taught Japanese 
personnel English during the Korean war so that they could care for 
wounded Americans in Osaka.


                             Col. Rita Geis

  Upon her retirement from active duty during the Vietnam war, Col. 
Geis was the chief nurse at Fitzsimons, capping 33 years of service to 
this country's military personnel. Col. Geis is now the historian for 
the Retired Officers Association and pursues numerous charitable 
activities. She has been honored by the Denver Archbishop Stafford for 
her contributions to charity work in the local community.


                       Sister Michael Mary Eagan

  Sister Michael Mary has been an nun for 50 years and is celebrating 
her Golden Jubilee this year. Her experiences reflect a tireless record 
of service. She is in charge of program development for the Catholic 
Archdiocese of Denver and is responsible for the Colorado SHARE 
program, which now boasts of over 200 sites throughout the State. 
Sister Michael Mary was principal of Cathedral High School in Denver 
and was the first director of the Aurora Housing Authority. It was at 
her initiative that the Fletcher Gardens senior housing center was 
built. She served on the Lowry Air Force Base redevelopment board and 
plans on contributing her time and talents to the redevelopment of 
Fitzsimons.

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