[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 12 (Tuesday, February 4, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S924]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 TRIBUTE TO CHARLES A. ``BILL'' BISHOP

  Mr. BAUCUS. Mr. President, I rise today to ask that this body honor a 
man whose life was an honor to Montana. And a man whose death is a loss 
to us all.
  My friend, Charles A. ``Bill'' Bishop, died on Sunday, January 26. 
But his memory will continue to live on in all of us who remember him. 
His loss is sudden, and we are left now to remember this man who gave 
us so much. Throughout his life, he was a husband, a father, an 
advocate, a learner, a jokester, and a teacher. In everything he did, 
he attacked it with a passion--an unquenchable zest for life.
  Family was everything to Bill. He idolized his wife and children, and 
they loved him dearly. One of his favorite things in the world was 
spending time with his family. I extend my deepest sympathies to them 
in this time of sorrow.
  Bill's zest for life can easily be seen in his legacy of outspoken 
advocacy for the environment. With a heart as big as the Mission 
Mountains that he loved so much, Bill was committed to leaving this 
planet a better place for his children and grandchildren. On these 
issues, Bill was often an adviser to me. If he agreed with something I 
did, he would let me know. If he disagreed, I could expect to get an 
earful from him. Yet through it all, he was thoughtful, respectful, and 
eager to find solutions to the many problems that confront Montana.
  I still have a hard time imagining Montana without Bill Bishop. In 
many ways, I will never get used to his absence. To say that I will 
miss him is not enough. His passing leaves my life with a little less 
laughter and a little less joy.
  Those of us who knew Bill will make sure that the memories stay 
always fresh, renewed over and over again by our love for this great 
man. God bless you, Bill.

                          ____________________