[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 91 (Friday, July 14, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1236-E1237]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    TRIBUTE TO THE LATE ETTA STANKO

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHRISTOPHER SHAYS

                             of connecticut

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 13, 2000

  Mr. SHAYS. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to one of Darien, 
Connecticut's most notable volunteers and political activists, and my 
friend, Etta Stanko, who died June 12 at her home. She was 75 and had 
lived here for more than 40 years. I would like to read into the record 
excerpts from a news article of June 15, 2000, written by Locker 
McCarthy of the Darien News-Review, celebrating her life.
  ``One of her best friends and a fellow former president of the Darien 
Community Association, Marge Harrington, said she had known Ms. Stanko 
and her family `since they moved to Noroton Bay, where we were, about 
35 years ago. She used to call herself a `professional volunteer,'' 
recalled Ms. Harrington, `and she certainly did a lot of things. She 
was everyone's dream volunteer--when she believed in a cause she gave 
100 percent. She was a good person and a good friend,' said Ms. 
Harrington. `We were with her just last Friday and we went to see 
`Small Time Crooks,' and we all laughed.'' '
  ``Just three weeks before her death, Ms. Stanko was notified she was 
to be the next recipient of the Georgina B. Davis Award for her 
outstanding fund raising efforts on behalf of the Western Connecticut 
Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Ms. Stanko became 
involved in trying to further research into M.S. after another past 
president of the D.C.A. became afflicted with the disease, and so 
became one of the original members of the Western Connecticut Chapter's 
committee that sponsors the annual March into Spring fashion show. 
`She's been a very good friend since 1978,' said Chapter Director 
Loretta Weitzel. `She was a wonderful woman, a mentor, and we'll miss 
her.' ''
  ``Ms. Stanko was also an ardent leader of town Republicans. For 10 
years she served on the Republican Town Committee, and was for two 
years, a decade ago, its president. She was elected to the 
Representative Town Meeting every two years from 1986 to 1996, when she 
did not to run.''
  ``She was not a reticent member of the RTM, and with her high, piping 
voice, reminiscent in tone if not in content to Eleanor Roosevelt's, 
she was an instantly recognizable member of this town's political 
class. Former First Selectman Henry Sanders said, `She represented 
reason and stability and meant a lot

[[Page E1237]]

to me; she did an awful lot and was a significant person in this town, 
and shared my Republican vision.' ''
  ``It wasn't only her GOP cohorts who were expressing sadness about 
Ms. Stanko's passing. Former Democratic Town Committee Chairman Anne 
Shaw remembered her work as one of those `instrumental' in the creation 
of the Senior Center (founded by Ms. Harrington and Caroline Murray). 
`What a loss,' remarked Ms. Shaw. `I saw her last week and she was 
really happy and giggly. I haven't seen her looking so well in a long 
time. I always enjoyed working with her and I think she was a role 
model for all of us.' ''
  ``Town Tax Collector and longtime friend of Ms. Stanko's, Robert 
Locke, said, `I've lost a good friend and a wonderful gal who was a 
tireless and dedicated volunteer. I said to my wife, `They must need 
some head volunteers up there!' ''
  ``Etta Marquardt Stanko was born on December 29, 1924 in 
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the daughter of the late Guy Marquardt and 
the late Bertha Bloh. Ms. Stanko attended the University of 
Pennsylvania and worked as an auditor for the Pennsylvania Railroad in 
the 1940's and 50's before assisting in the family business, Stanko 
Associates.''
  ``Ms. Stanko had volunteered at the Darien Community Association 
(DCA) since 1961 and served two consecutive terms as president of the 
DCA from 1977 to 1981. She has also served as Treasurer, Finance 
Chairman, Thrift Shop volunteer and board member. Among her many 
accomplishments at the DCA were creating a merit scholarship award for 
Darien public school graduates, launching a planning and development 
committee and began glucose screening and a health fair in cooperation 
with the Darien Lion's Club, opened what became the Darien Nature 
Center at Cherry Lawn Park and helped promote alcohol education and 
abuse programs at Darien High School.''
  ``She has also spent decades in service to the Salvation Army, of 
which she was chairman of the service unit at the time of her death, 
and with Family Children's Agency. She also spent six years on the 
board of directors for Darien United Way and eight years on the board 
of the Darien Senior Center. She was a member of the Connecticut 
Commission on Aging and was on the board of directors for the American 
Red Cross where she had volunteered for 14 years.''
  ``Ms. Stanko was predeceased by her husband, Joseph Stanko. She is 
survived by one son, Joseph C. Stanko, Jr. of Alexandria, Virginia; one 
daughter, Alyse Stanko Pleiter of Villa Park Illinois; and two 
grandchildren.''
  `` `She was very proud of her children,' said Ms. Harrington. `Her 
son is a lawyer and her daughter is a budding writer. And she had 
wonderful grandchildren she doted on. She recently traveled to Spain 
and Portugal and had a good time. She did a lot of nice things in the 
last part of her life.' ''
  On a more personal note, I would like to add that Ms. Stanko was also 
on the board of directors of the Bank of Darien, was an active member 
of St. John's Roman Catholic Church in Darien, and was a wonderful past 
volunteer for my campaigns for Congress, although this year she 
supported a challenger for the Republican nomination.
  Etta Stanko was a great lady who had a powerful impact on her family, 
friends, and those she served in her extensive volunteer endeavors. We 
all miss her dearly.

                          ____________________