[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 3 (Thursday, January 29, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S208-S209]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         TRIBUTE TO JOHN McGOFF

  Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to a good 
friend and a business leader from my State who recently passed away, 
Mr. John McGoff. Mr. McGoff was one of our State's most successful 
business leaders, making his fortune, and his impact, primarily in the 
area of publishing. He owned a number of news publications and was a 
great success, but I think he would prefer to be remembered for several 
other things he achieved in his lifetime.
  First was his great sense of community spirit. Mr. McGoff was truly a 
man who loved the communities in which he lived. He invested 
considerably, out of his own resources, in the communities in which he 
resided, in the schools of those communities, in our State's university 
system, and in a variety of other valuable institutions.
  In fact, when tribute was paid to him last Saturday, it was in an 
auditorium in the high school serving the tiny town in which he lived, 
an auditorium which he personally had built with his own dollars.
  I think John McGoff also would want to be remembered as a man who 
loved his country. He put this love to the test by serving in the 
United States military. He served with distinction in the infantry 
during World War II, both in North Africa and in Europe. He also played 
an active role in the political process, in our State and at the 
national level.
  He was committed to the discussion of public policy. And he acted on 
this

[[Page S209]]

commitment, not only through the newspapers he owned, but also through 
his efforts to launch a variety of other publications, including one of 
today's most successful law journals, the Harvard Journal of Law and 
Public Policy, which he helped to initiate through personal 
investments.
  Mostly, I think John McGoff would want to be remembered as a man who 
loved his family. Indeed, I can remember how, on virtually every 
occasion in which we were together I would receive a detailed account 
of every one of his children, what they were doing and what their most 
recent achievements and challenges were. When we paid him tribute last 
Saturday, each of those children was there to help remember their 
father and to pay great testament to his wonderful life.
  So, on behalf, I know, of many people in our State who certainly will 
miss John McGoff and regret his passing, I want to say his was a full 
life, one of great success; the life of a person who loved his 
community, loved his country, loved his family--truly loved America and 
everything for which she stands.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The majority leader.

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