[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 57 (Tuesday, May 6, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S4037]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            TRIBUTE TO GERALDINE SYLVESTER ON HER RETIREMENT

 Mr. SMITH of New Hampshire. Mr. President, I rise today to pay 
tribute to Geraldine Sylvester of Dover on her retirement after 25 
years of service to Dover and the State of New Hampshire. Geraldine has 
ended a distinguished career as a State health leader, city councilor, 
businesswoman, educator and mother.
  Gerry has been my friend for more than a decade. She grew up in 
Milton and graduated from Nute High School. She and her husband Bob 
raised 5 daughters and 2 sons and now have 16 grandchildren.
  Geraldine served seven consecutive terms as a Dover city councilor 
beginning in 1970. In 1974-75 she also served as mayor. Geraldine 
officially retired as director of New Hampshire's Office of Alcohol and 
Drug Abuse Prevention in December 1996, which was the single State 
authority for substance abuse problems in New Hampshire. Geraldine was 
appointed for this post in 1983 by former Gov. John Sununu, and 
continued her service under Governors Judd Gregg and Steve Merrill.
  Gerry is a woman of many talents who approaches any challenge with 
determination. She served in miscellaneous local, State, and Federal 
positions, such as the National Advisory Committee on Alcohol and Drug 
Abuse and Mental Health Problems. In 1980 she was a delegate to the 
National Republican Convention, chairwoman of the New Hampshire Small 
Business Advisory Council in 1978, and from 1976 to 1981 she became 
trustee of the New Hampshire Youth Development Center.
  Gerry and Bob are also humanitarians. Their compassion is illustrated 
in the fact that, for 12 years, the Sylvester home was a group home for 
physically and emotionally distraught minors in the seacoast of New 
Hampshire.
  Gerry and Bob founded GFS Manufacturing in 1971 in the garage of 
their house. Through the energy, dedication, and drive of Gerry and her 
family, the business grew and prospered. In 1978 they were named 
citizens of the year by the Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce.
  Mr. President, Geraldine Sylvester has dedicated her time, talent, 
and energy to serving the residents of Dover in an exemplary way. I am 
proud to honor her outstanding community commitment, which is so 
important to the future and prosperity of Dover. We are indeed indebted 
to Gerry for her efforts. I thank her for her 25 years of dedicated 
service, commend her for an extraordinary job and say that I am 
privileged to call her my friend. I wish her every happiness and health 
for the years to come as she embraces retirement.

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