[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 65 (Wednesday, May 20, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E919]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         TRIBUTE TO ROY TOWERS

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. FRANK RIGGS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 20, 1998

  Mr. RIGGS. Mr. Speaker, one of my best friends left this world for a 
better one last week. His name was Roy Towers. He had one mission in 
life, to help make his country, his state and Del Norte County a better 
place to live, work and raise a family.
  Some people sit on the sidelines and say why bother. Not Roy Towers. 
He was the type of person to get involved and make a difference. And 
make a difference he did. In the political arena there was no one 
better at organizing to elect the candidate he felt would do the best 
job for the people. Where some people just give money, and others only 
give their time, Roy Towers gave both.
  Most people will remember him as a political activist, but he was so 
much more than that. Few people will recall that it was Roy Towers who 
was one of the prime movers of the effort to get quality care in Del 
Norte County. Yes, as a member of the Local Hospital Board of 
Directors, he convinced Sutter Health Systems to invest millions of 
their dollars to build a new hospital in Crescent City. He made sure 
that poor people were guaranteed access to good health care by 
convincing the board to bring in a medical clinic to serve those who 
could not afford medical and dental care.
  Roy was also a dependable friend. I often sought his advice and 
counsel, and he was always forthright with his thoughts and ideas.
  He was a person who was active right up to the end, fighting for his 
beliefs.

           [From the Daily Triplicate, Tuesday, May 19, 1998]

                         Roy Towers, 1920-1998


 A man of influence and diligence, Roy Towers worked hard to leave his 
               little corner of the world a better place

       If someone met Roy Towers walking down the street, at least 
     in the 1990s, most people would not see the clout the 
     gentleman held in the area. They would have seen a tall, 
     orderly man with quiet eyes and reserved demeanor. Flashy was 
     not part of his wardrobe or his lifestyle.
       Yet Towers was far different than some others with power. 
     First, Towers' influence wasn't because of his money, 
     although he did have a dime or two. No, it was built on 
     respect. It was anchored in hard work. He was willing to 
     fight his own battles. For example, he saw a need for 
     leadership on what is now the Del Norte Healthcare District's 
     board of directors, and for 17 years he provided that in a 
     determined, yet civilized, manner.
       Towers was also a man who understood principles and 
     accepted the fact that other people had principles that 
     didn't always match his goals. As long as an opponent had a 
     good reason for disagreeing with him, Towers understood.
       Roy Towers died last week. He took with him a wealth of 
     knowledge about many subjects, such as making friends and 
     making Del Norte County a better place to be. He will be 
     missed.

     

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