[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 74 (Thursday, May 20, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1042]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO WINSTON WILSON

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. CHARLES W. STENHOLM

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 20, 1999

  Mr. STENHOLM. Mr. Speaker, this week the Nation, and particularly the 
agricultural industry, lost one of its most important assets, Winston 
Wilson. Winston made a difference for his family, his community, his 
industry and for this country.
  I got to know Winston before either one of us moved to Washington. 
Following his service as Deputy Undersecretary of Agriculture in the 
Carter Administration, Winston came to my Congressional office as 
Administrative Assistant. His time in my office was brief--just about a 
year from December 1980 to November 1981--but that was plenty of time 
for Winston and his wife Mickie, and daughters Michelle and Missy, to 
endear themselves to us and to become a permanent part of our office 
family.
  In an era where the voices of agriculture are becoming fewer and 
fainter, Winston stood out as one of the most effective spokespersons 
for the wheat farmers from whom he came. His Daddy trained him well in 
the fields at Quanah, giving him the kind of Texas common sense that 
few possess at the national level. Winston never forgot his roots, even 
though he traveled the world over in promotion of U.S. Agriculture.
  When Winston left my office, he continued his advocacy of the 
industry at U.S. Wheat Associates, where he served as President until 
1997. He also was Chairman of the U.S. Agricultural Export Development 
Council, founding member of the U.S. Grain Quality Workshop, a former 
President of the National Association of Wheat Growers, and a member of 
the U.S. Agriculture Department's Trade Advisory Committee.
  More than anything, Winston committed his life to the advocacy of 
American wheat. He spent a great portion of his life working hard to 
develop overseas markets for U.S. farmers, and he developed strategies 
and programs to build export demand for U.S. wheat. U.S. Wheat 
Associates, with whom Winston had such a long relationship, is a 
worldwide organization supported by wheat producers in Texas and 17 
other states along with USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service. Under 
Winston's leadership, the organization has been successful in 
establishing and servicing markets for up to 60 percent of the wheat 
produced in the U.S. and up to 80 percent of the wheat produced in 
Texas. The farm economy is struggling at the present time but without 
Winston's efforts, our struggles would be far greater.
  Winston is survived by a lovely wife and daughters, who we will 
continue to hold in our prayers as they deal with this great loss. They 
and all of Winston's friends, not to be mentioning the entire wheat 
industry, are enormously proud of what Winston accomplished in his 
life. We have many fond--and often times amusing--memories of our time 
with Winston and we will always treasure those thoughts.
  For those of us who are left behind, even the longest life of a loved 
one seems too short. So, in instances such as this untimely death, it 
is impossible not to feel cheated out of many years which we had hoped 
to share. We feel a great loss this week but we also celebrate the life 
Winston Wilson lived. He will remain in our hearts, thoughts and 
prayers.

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