[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 150 (Friday, October 29, 1999)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2220-E2221]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               1999 CLOVIS CHAMBER HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. GEORGE RADANOVICH

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 28, 1999

  Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate the Clovis 
Chamber of Commerce 1999 Hall of Fame Inductees. The Award Winners for 
the Hall of Fame are: ``Founders Awards''--The Blasingame Family and 
The Sample Family; ``Hall of Fame Honorees''--The Clovis Rodeo 
Association--Everett ``Bud'' and Evelyn Rank, Wesley and Betty Wipf, 
and Mr. Shelby Cox; ``Clovis Way of Life''--Mr. & Mrs. Tom Stearns, Mr. 
& Mrs. Joe Ogas; ``Spirit of Clovis''--Mr. Dave Bens and Ellie Huston; 
``Friends of Youth''--Mr. Harold Woods and Mr. James Countois; 
``Citizen of the Year''--Mr. Tom Stearns; and ``The Sam Walton/WALMART 
Community Leadership Award''--Mr. Bob Daneke. The Hall of Fame 
Committee carefully selects each award winner according to a special 
criteria.
  The ``Clovis Way of Life'' award honors citizens who have 
strengthened the foundation of the City of Clovis. They have endured 
the economy by having a business in Clovis. The ``Clovis Way of Life'' 
winners are Joe & Marilyn Ogas and Tom & Burline Stearns.
  Joe and Marilyn Ogas own and operate Ace Trophy Shop. The Shop was 
operated out of their garage for many years and then was moved to Old 
Town Clovis where they are an integral part of the business community.
  Tom and Burline Stearns have been staunch supporters of Clovis. Tom 
is a member of the Clovis Rodeo Association; he has served from 
maintenance to President. Tom has made the Clovis Rodeo a premier event 
in the State of California. Tom Stearns also served as Mayor, Mayor 
Pro-Tem and now Council member. Burline Stearns has devoted her life to 
the Clovis Swim Team. She owned and operated the Mode O Day Store with 
her sister-in-law for several years.
  The ``Friends of Youth'' award winners are James Countois and Harold 
Lloyd Woods.
  James Countois, Mr. ``C'' as he is affectionately called, is 89 years 
old and his best friends are the five- to 12-year-old students at Dry 
Creek Elementary. James has volunteered at the Library for over 18 
years. Recently, Dry Creek opened a new Library Media Center and named 
it after Mr. C, this was for a man who dedicated his whole life to 
children and the community.
  Harold Lloyd Woods has been a teacher in the Clovis Unified School 
District for over 41 years, specifically Room 20 at Jefferson 
Elementary School. Woods says that teaching children to set goals, 
helping them work toward achieving them, and then watching the joy on 
their faces when they succeed is one of the most valuable contributions 
we can make in their lives.
  The ``Spirit of Clovis'' award is present in recognition of people 
who in the line of their daily work succeed beyond their own 
expectations. The award goes to Dave Bens and Ellie Huston.
  In March of 1999, Dave Bens, Clovis High School's Athletic Director, 
was named California State Athletic Director's Association ``Athletic 
Director of the Year 1993-1999.'' This award recognizes the California 
Athletic Director who displays excellence in leadership on and off the 
field. Dave has brought recognition to himself, Clovis High, Clovis 
Unified School District and the Community of Clovis.
  Ellie Huston has worked hard raising money for the permanent Hall of 
Fame display for several years. She has done 95 percent of the work. 
Ellie has planned the Hall of Fame Raffles, solicited the prizes and 
sold over 200 tickets each year, she has raised close to $8,000 for the 
Clovis Hall of Fame Permanent Display. Ellie is an Executive Ambassador 
and a Past Director of the Clovis Chamber of Commerce. She is a very 
caring, community minded citizen of Clovis.
  The ``Founders Awards'' go to the Blasingame Family and the Sample 
Family.
  The Blasingame Family started with Jesse Augustus Blasingame, known 
as ``Jesse A''. He was a native of Talladega County, Alabama, and 
completed his time in the Mexican War. Jesse A. was then given 
``scrip'' to buy land out west. Jesse A. married Mary Jane Sample, a 
native of Fresno County. They had a son, Jesse Knox Blasingame. Jesse 
Knox spent his entire life in the cattle business in Fresno County. He 
was very active in the California Cattlemen's Association, the Grange 
and the California Farm Bureau. Knox and his wife Thelma had two sons, 
Morgan and Knox Jr., and a daughter, Barbara. Morgan and Knox are still 
raising cattle in the Clovis foothills; Barbara lives in Fresno and 
still owns the land in the Clovis foothills. Both Knox Jr. and Barbara 
were extremely supportive and worked with the City of Clovis to secure 
the University of California Education Site near Academy, several years 
ago. The Blasingame Family has exhibited The Clovis Way of Life 
attributes; family, responsibility, work, honesty, independence, 
appropriate space, education, community service and loyalty. They are 
one of Clovis' most treasured legacies.
  The Sample Family departed from Mississippi with a large group and 
settled in the central San Joaquin Valley after the Civil War. David 
Cowan (D.C.) Sample married Sally Cole, who became the parents of 11 
children whose descendants, still live in the Clovis-foothill area. Dr. 
Thomas Sample, one of D.C.'s sons, was an old-fashioned doctor in the 
best sense. He treated all that came for help, regardless of their 
ability to pay. He built the Sample Sanitarium in the 300 block of 
North

[[Page E2221]]

Fulton Street; the building still stands today. DC Sample, 
affectionately known as ``Bud'' and Harry Sample stayed in the 
immediate area. Bud's children, Sally Sharer and Pug Perkins still live 
in Clovis. Harry's children, Bonner, Jane Craiger and Tommy live close 
by. One of Bonner's children is Captain Scotty who flies around the 
valley every morning giving us the traffic report.

  ``The Hall of Fame Honorees'' are The Clovis Rodeo Association, Sgt. 
Shelby Cox, Everett George ``Bud'' and Evelyn Rank, Wesley and Betty 
Wipf.
  The Clovis Independent Newspaper stated, ``Perhaps more than any 
other group or organization, The Clovis Rodeo Association exemplifies 
life in Clovis. For more than 80 years, the association has organized 
and operated the Clovis Rodeo, which has grown from a small gathering 
of working cowboys to a world-renowned event that was televised 
nationally for the first time this year. The Clovis Rodeo Association 
has served as Clovis' Ambassadors to the world, and has become an 
integral part of the history, stability and growth of the community of 
Clovis.''
  Sgt. Shelby Cox--his dedication to the citizens of Clovis was always 
in the forefront during his nearly 35 years with the Clovis Police 
Department. He was active in community groups as well as department 
activities, and founded several of the Clovis Police Department's more 
popular programs. The goal of the Hall of Fame is to honor citizens 
that have made a difference; that have contributed to the growth and 
development of Clovis. Shelby has made a difference, he has contributed 
to ``the Clovis way of life.''
  Everett George ``Bud'' and Evelyn Rank--Bud and Evelyn were raised on 
Clovis farms and graduated from Clovis High School. They were married 
and raised their family in Clovis. Bud, a member of the Clovis Rodeo 
Association since 1940, was active in the Clovis Young Farmers, 
California Young Farmers, Clovis Masonic Lodge, Clovis Grange, Clovis 
Farm Bureau and the Fresno County Farm Bureau. He served as Board 
President of the Fort Washington School, President, Vice President and 
Clerk of the Clovis Unified School Board--a charter Director of the 
Clovis Schools Foundation and was on the Board of Directors of the 
Clovis-Sanger Cotton Gin. They raised their daughters Ginny Hovsepian, 
Judy Rank and Pat Rank who remain in the area. Evelyn supported all of 
her husband's activities as well as serving as a Northwest Sunday 
school Kindergarten Teacher and a Deaconess for the Northwest Church. 
Evelyn worked for Congressman Pashayan's office and at the White House 
Greeting Office while they were in Washington, DC. She also 
participated with the Reagan Reelection Committee and served on the 
Reagan Inaugural Committee. Upon returning home, she served on Clovis 
School Bond Committees. The Ranks are avid football fans and have 
rarely missed a Clovis Unified School District home game.
  Wesley and Betty Wipf got married at 5 AM and have stayed married for 
over 51 years. Wes lived at Shaver Lake and moved to Clovis in 1940. 
While attending Clovis High School, he received the Sassano All 
American Blanket for Track. Wes went on to manage the Newberry's 
variety store in Clovis. He later opened the first donut shop in Clovis 
and then when Wiffee's Trophy Shop outgrew the bedroom in his home, he 
opened a shop on Fourth Street. Betty is the former Betty Pendergrass 
of the Clovis famed family. She became a teacher and taught at Weldon 
Elementary School for over 28 years. Betty still substitutes and is a 
``Home Hospital Instructor.'' The Wipf's are members of the Clovis 
United Methodist Church, where Betty has been a member for over 50 
years. Now in retirement the Wipf's have donated over 1,000 hours of 
work to the Clovis Hospital Guild; hours and hours of time to the 
Clovis Chamber of Commerce, and participate every morning with the Mall 
Walkers Group at the Sierra Vista Mall.
  ``Citizen of the Year''--Tom Stearns--Tom was born in West Fresno, 
went to local schools and relocated to Clovis in 1956. Tom and his 
wife, Burline, have three daughters and five grandchildren. Tom was 
raised on a small farm in West Fresno; he worked as a farm laborer 
through High School. Tom worked for PG&E from 1945-1993, he is now 
retired. Tom has been dedicated to the Clovis Community, having served 
on the Clovis City Council since 1983. Tom was Mayor, Mayor Pro Tem, 
and is currently serving out the remainder of a two-year term as a 
Council member. Tom has been a member of the Rodeo Association since 
1981 and has served on most of the Rodeo Committees. Tom has been on 
the Board of Directors for the past seven years and is serving his 
first term as President. Tom was elected Citizen of the Year for his 
extensive participation with the Rodeo Association to enlarge the event 
to a three-day show and to help secure exposure on television through 
E.S.P.N. With his guidance as President and with the full support of 
the Rodeo Association Board, the Clovis Rodeo and the community of 
Clovis was brought to international attention.
  Mr. Speaker, I want to congratulate all of the Clovis Chamber of 
Commerce 1999 Hall of Fame Inductees. Each of the winners is an 
outstanding citizen and deserves special recognition. I urge my 
colleagues to join me in wishing each award winner many more years of 
continued success.

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