[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 110 (Wednesday, July 24, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S8634]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                TRIBUTE TO E.R. ``BOB'' MORRISSETTE, JR.

  Mr. HEFLIN. Mr. President, people all over my State of Alabama are 
deeply saddened by the death of E.R. ``Bob'' Morrissette, Jr., who 
passed away on Sunday, July 21 in Mobile. Bob, who had served for many 
years on my State staff working out of the Mobile office, was a trusted 
friend, loyal ally, and close adviser. He was the kind of dedicated 
public servant who was a natural at the art of forging agreement and 
building bridges. He truly loved people and prided himself on being 
able to get along with just about anyone with whom he came in contact. 
People responded and warmed up to him because of his gentlemanly 
manner, his humor, and his genuineness. Two of his great passions were 
people and politics. He enjoyed politics in any shape or form.
  Another of his passions was the newspaper business. Before joining my 
staff, he spent over 3 decades covering the news as a reporter, editor, 
and publisher. After serving in the Army during World War II, Bob 
earned a journalism degree at the University of Alabama. This is where 
I first met and became close friends with him some 50 years ago. After 
college, he embarked on a career in journalism at the Baldwin Times 
paper in Bay Minette, AL. He took over the Atmore Advance in Atmore, a 
small town in South Alabama, in 1959, serving there as owner, editor, 
and publisher of the paper for the next 20 years. He plunged into civic 
life, always wanting to do his very best for the community he served. 
Bob always considered himself a newspaper man in the traditional sense 
and saw to it that he knew everything and everybody in his community.
  In 1976, Bob received the Distinguished Alumnus in Journalism Award 
from the University of Alabama. Two years later, he was named president 
of the Alabama Press Association. Shortly after I came to the Senate, 
he sold the Advance and I persuaded him to accept a position as my 
executive assistant for southwestern Alabama, heading up my Mobile 
office. He was an indispensable and energetic member of my staff who 
represented me at various meetings and events and handled many projects 
over the years. He served right up until the time of his death. I will 
always fondly remember the many barnstorming trips we went on together 
in Mobile and surrounding counties.
  The importance of family and relationships was something he 
understood fully. I was present at Bob and Joyce Henley Morrissette's 
wedding many years ago. They loved each other intensely and constantly. 
They were so close they knew intuitively the thoughts of the other; 
they could communicate without speaking. Each brought out the best in 
the other. They were spouses, best friends, superb parents, and 
tireless workers for the public good.
  Unfortunately, Joyce became ill and was not able to continue doing so 
many of the things she loved and enjoyed. But Bob was always devoted to 
her and cared for her in many different ways. His devotion to Joyce 
never wavered. His loyalty to her reminds me of a line from Elizabeth 
Barrett Browning's ``Love Song from the Portuguese'': ``Chance cannot 
change my love nor time impair.''
  Bob was an outstanding family man. He had an unqualified love for all 
of his family and a reverence for his roots. Not only did he show this 
by his love for Joyce and his two daughters, Martha and Lulie, but he 
loved to talk about his relatives--close and distant. He loved to tell 
stories about members of his family. I believe he had more cousins than 
any one man in all of Alabama. He was extremely proud of his heritage. 
From my perspective as an office seeker, I could not have hoped for a 
better friend and campaign worker who could persuade so many kissing 
cousins.

  Bob Morrissette had an enormous number of friends across the State 
and his familiar presence will be sorely missed. His life was a 
testament to the very best qualities to be found in the journalism 
business and in government. He proved that people can be involved in 
these fields and be highly successful while still maintaining a level 
of civility, friendliness, integrity, decorum, and respect that is 
often absent from the public sphere today.
  He derived a great deal of satisfaction from helping others. He was 
an optimist by nature, always believing we can find the way to a better 
world and that each of us can be a valuable participant in the process. 
I cannot begin to list the ways that Bob improved the lives of others 
or to discuss the numerous people he touched and how he promoted the 
public good. Only those of us fortunate to have been the closest to him 
can begin to appreciate the thoughtfulness and kindness he displayed on 
a daily basis for so many people. He touched an infinite number of 
lives through his words, whether they were delivered over the phone, in 
writing, or in person. He had a rich and colorful south Alabama accent 
that had a way of putting people at ease and even disarming those who 
were upset or angry about something. Happiness was an integral part of 
his life because he was always doing things for other people. He knew 
that one does not become happy by pursuing happiness for its own sake. 
Bob understood that genuine happiness is a byproduct of living a 
meaningful and productive life. He was a genuinely happy man who used 
his talents fully and wisely and shared them generously.
  I extend my sincerest condolences to Joyce Morrissette and her entire 
family in the wake of this tremendous loss. This is not only a loss for 
his family, but for his community, State, and Nation as well. We are 
all infinitely better off for having had his service, his friendship, 
his dedication, and his spirit over the course of these many years.

                          ____________________