[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 14 (Thursday, February 1, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S863]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO MARY M. STEFON

   Mr. DODD. Mr. President, it was once said: ``Leadership is 
not bestowed. It is only yours for as long as it is continually 
earned.'' Today, I rise to pay tribute to Mary M. Stefon, a leader and 
public servant who truly personifies this adage.
  Mary recently retired from her post as town clerk of the Town of 
Sprague, CT--the town she served in various elective capacities for 34 
years. Those of us in political life know it is rare to be continually 
returned to office by one's fellow citizens for so many years, and for 
Mary Stefon to be so honored by her constituents is a testament to the 
great respect and faith she has earned from them.
  Mary's service to her hometown grew out of her firmly planted roots 
there. She has lived in Sprague since 1927, graduating from school and 
raising her family there. She took an active role in many community 
affairs, serving in official positions on the Board of Education of St. 
Joseph School, the Sprague Housing Authority, and the Sprague Grist 
Mill Committee. She was active in Democratic politics, serving as 
chairman, vice-chairman, secretary and treasurer of the Democratic Town 
Committee. And in elective office, Mary served not only as town clerk 
until last year, but also as town treasurer until 1977 and agent of 
town deposit fund until 1982. As if serving in all three elected posts 
is not impressive enough, consider that for 16 years, she occupied them 
simultaneously.
  But Mary Stefon's schedule was apparently not busy enough, and she 
participated in many volunteer activities in addition to her other 
duties. After serving in the U.S. Navy Waves during World War II, her 
later volunteer activities included speaking to elementary school 
children as part of the Northeast Utilities Career Motivation Program, 
working as a volunteer bookkeeper for a Youth Employment Program, and 
volunteering at St. Mary's Church in Baltic.
  Fine people like Mary M. Stefon--wife, mother, grandmother, 
volunteer, mentor, leader, and public official--are indeed the people 
who create the sense of community in Connecticut's and America's towns. 
And it is people like her, who always find time to give of themselves 
to others, who are role models for us all.
  Mr. President, this year, sadly, many of the best public servants 
this country has ever known have made the decision to retire from 
public life. Mary M. Stefon is without question among them. I wish her 
well, and join the citizens of Connecticut and the Town of Sprague in 
thanking her for her dedicated and outstanding public service.

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