[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 85 (Wednesday, June 16, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1286-E1287]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              TRIBUTE TO THE LATE WILLIAM ``BILL'' PAVLIS

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. JOHN J. DUNCAN, JR.

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 16, 1999

  Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, our Nation has recently lost a great public 
servant. On Sunday, May 9th of this year, William ``Bill'' Pavlis 
passed away. Bill Pavlis was born in West Virginia and moved to 
Knoxville, Tennessee, where he lived for 60 years. He attended the old 
Knoxville High School and then went on to be one of our community's 
best citizens.
  Bill Pavlis was one of the most respected leaders in the Knoxville 
area. In 1972, he started a very successful specialty food distribution 
company in Knoxville.
  In 1980, Bill Pavlis entered public service as one of the very first 
members of the newly created Knox County Commission. He spent six years 
on that body and even served as its Chairman.
  In 1990, he was appointed to the Knoxville City Council to serve the 
remainder of the term of Councilman Milton Roberts.
  Mr. Speaker, Bill Pavlis was a great friend to all that knew him. He 
was always available to the citizens he represented.
  Above all, Bill Pavlis was a true family man. Bill and his beloved 
wife of 49 years, Jamie, raised a wonderful family. His sons, William 
A. Pavlis, Frank N. Pavlis, George S. Pavlis, and daughter, Christina 
Pavlis, comprise one of the finest families in East Tennessee.
  Mr. Speaker, I am privileged to have known such a fine man. I have 
included a copy of a Resolution adopted by the Knox County Commission, 
as well as a statement from Commissioner Leo Cooper and an editorial 
from the Knoxville News-Sentinel that honor the memory of William 
``Bill'' Pavlis. I would like to call these to the attention of my 
colleagues and other readers of the Record.

                               Resolution

       Whereas, former businessman, Knox County Commissioner and 
     Knoxville City Councilman William ``Bill'' Pavlis recently 
     passed away at the age of seventy (70), after many years of 
     service and leadership in the Knox County Community; and
       Whereas, Bill Pavlis was a native of Logan, West Virginia, 
     where his parents had emigrated from Greece. He was to live 
     in Knoxville for sixty (60) years, where he met his wife of 
     forty-nine (49) years, Jamie, at Knoxville High School, where 
     he was a football player. He founded a specialty food 
     distribution business, A&B Distributing Company, Inc., in 
     1972, and the business has thrived since; and
       Whereas, Bill Pavlis was a notable leader in the community. 
     He served as one of the first nineteen (19) Knox County 
     Commissioners upon his election in 1980. In his six (6) years 
     on this body, he served as Commission Chairman and as Finance 
     Committee Chairman. During his entire tenure of service on 
     the Knox County Commission, he missed only one (1) meeting. 
     He is said to have been proudest, however, of his six years 
     (6) as a member of the Knox County Pension Trust Fund 
     Committee and of his chairmanship of the employees insurance 
     committee. Mr. Pavlis also served as a Knoxville City 
     Councilman, and was considered a strong and popular candidate 
     for mayor; and
       Whereas, Commissioner Pavlis, with a reputation of 
     straightforwardness and honesty, also participated in 
     countless civic and spiritual organizations and events. He 
     attended two (2) churches, the Episcopal Church of the Good 
     Shepherd, with his wife Jamie, and the St. George Greek 
     Orthodox Church. As a resident of Fountain City, where he was 
     deeply loved, he contributed toward the construction of a 
     gazebo in Fountain City Park. Always there to help, he often 
     provided assistance to his employees at A&B Distributing; and
       Whereas, Bill Pavlis leaves behind a wonderful family, 
     itself carrying on the legacy of community service 
     exemplified by the Commissioner. His wife Jamie was the first 
     woman appointed to the Knox County Jury Commission. He also 
     leaves behind four children, Christina ``Tina'' Pavlis, 
     William A. Pavlis, Frank ``Nick'' Pavlis, also a Knoxville 
     City Councilman, and George ``Sam'' Pavlis. Now therefore be 
     it
       Resolved by the Commission of Knox County as follows:
       The Knox County Commission wishes to express its 
     condolences to the family and many friends of William 
     ``Bill'' Pavlis, upon the passing of its fellow Commissioner 
     and great friend.
       Be it further resolved, That if any notifications are to be 
     made to effectuate this Resolution, then the County Clerk is 
     hereby requested to forward a copy of this Resolution to the 
     proper authority.
       Be it further resolved, That this Resolution is to take 
     effect from and after its passage, as provided by the Charter 
     of Knox County, Tennessee, the public welfare requiring it.
                                  ____


   Statement of Commissioner Leo Cooper Honoring Former Commissioner 
                       William P. ``Bill'' Pavlis

       There are no words to truly express the profound sense of 
     loss an entire community feels at the passing of Bill Pavlis.
       Bill Pavlis was a man of enormous accomplishments; Bill was 
     successful in virtually every endeavor he undertook in his 
     lifetime. Bill founded and operated a successful business; 
     married an exceptionally lovely woman and raised a beautiful 
     family. Bill was elected to the Knox County Commission and 
     chosen by his colleagues to Chair that body. Bill Pavlis was 
     appointed to serve on the Knoxville City Council, having the 
     distinction of being one of the few individuals ever to serve 
     on both the city and county legislative bodies.
       Bill Pavlis lived to see the affection of an entire 
     community and the tradition of public service in the election 
     of his son Nick as City Councilman At Large. One could 
     truthfully say Bill Pavlis was a very lucky man, but I 
     believe his friends were the luckier to have known him and 
     had his friendship.
                                  ____


                          He Served the Public

       Knoxville lost one of its finest public servants with the 
     death on Sunday of William ``Bill'' Pavlis at 70.
       Pavlis, who served terms on both the Knox County Commission 
     and the Knoxville City Council, was known as someone who 
     brought people together to work out solutions to problems--a 
     characteristic soundly noted by Mayor Victor Ashe.
       Pavlis' parents emigrated from Greece to West Virginia, and 
     Bill Pavlis was born in Logan, W.Va. He lived in Knoxville 
     for 60 years, starting a specialty food distribution company, 
     A&B Distributing Co. Inc., in 1972.
       Pavlis was one of the first 19 members elected in 1980 to 
     serve on the new County Commission, the local government 
     entity that replaced the old county court. His six years on 
     that body included a term as finance committee chairman and 
     alter as commission chairman.

[[Page E1287]]

       He ran unsuccessfully for mayor in 1987 but was appointed 
     to City Council in 1990 to serve the remainder of the term of 
     veteran council member Milton Roberts, who died in office. A 
     run for mayor appeared in the offing in 1991, but Pavlis 
     wisely chose family over a political campaign. ``I feel my 
     priorities are in order, and my intentions are good,'' he 
     said in a News-Sentinel interview at the time. ``In spite of 
     that, I just want to spend more time with my wife.''
       Pavlis was the kind of citizen we all would like to be--
     working with quiet determination to improve the community, 
     bearing the full responsibilities of a serious businessman,, 
     contributing to his places of worship and engaged in various 
     civic endeavors.
       We extend our sympathy to Jamie Pavlis, his wife of 49 
     years, and to his family and many friends. He will be missed, 
     but our community is a better place for his presence among 
     us.

     

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