[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 142 (Wednesday, November 1, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Page S11466]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  IN MEMORY OF MARLENE CALDWELL CARLS

  Mr. DURBIN. Mr. President, I rise today to pay tribute to Marlene 
Carls, a very special person who worked in my Springfield office for 
nearly 20 years. Marlene passed away on October 24.
  My wife Loretta first introduced me to Marlene almost 20 years ago 
when I was running for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. 
Loretta told me Marlene was an excellent worker and she hoped that she 
would join my campaign. So I sat down with Marlene and offered her a 
deal she could not refuse. I offered her a beat-up old desk, a run-down 
office, and not much pay, if she was willing to work for a candidate 
who had lost three straight elections. In a moment of weakness, she 
accepted. Marlene was part of our family from that day forward.
  Marlene was born to be a caseworker and she was the best. She had a 
heart of gold. She cared so much for the people she was helping. She 
would take on immigration cases, foreign adoptions, and so many 
difficult and complicated matters. She would help constituents get the 
answers they needed. It wasn't just professional assistance to people 
in time of need; it was much more. Marlene Carls treated people asking 
for help as members of the family. She did her job so well that I used 
to get fan mail from constituents who could not thank me enough for the 
wonderful work that Marlene did.
  With the immigration cases, we would continue to see the fruit of her 
work for many years. Marlene and I would go to naturalization 
ceremonies in Springfield twice a year. And as they would call out the 
name of a new citizen she would nudge me and say, ``Boss''--she always 
called me ``Boss''--``Boss, that's one of ours.'' It was the same kind 
of pride a mother has when her son or daughter crosses the stage at a 
graduation ceremony. She knew the people she had helped; she cared 
about them; she rejoiced in their success and happiness.

  She showed the same caring for our military cases: mothers and 
fathers desperate to reach their sons and daughters in uniform--to 
bring them home for an emergency--to get them out of a scrape--or just 
to learn if they were alive in a crisis.
  Marlene learned the military lingo and reached the point where she 
could charm the stripes off a sergeant or the stars off a general. Many 
families in Illinois found peace of mind because of Marlene Carls' hard 
work.
  And she took such delight in knowing that someone's life had been 
made a little better off because of her efforts.
  Marlene, or ``Mo'' as we came to call her, was proud of her family. 
Her son Kelly Carls, her daughter Cathleen Stock, and her two 
grandchildren, Kayla Lynn and Julia Anne Stock, were the apples of her 
eye. I was pleased to watch their progress through her eyes.
  Marlene also had so many friends. At her memorial service last Friday 
in Springfield, the chapel was packed with family, fellow staffers, and 
friends from other governmental offices. The group from the National 
Park Service where we have our senatorial office came out in uniform to 
be there for Marlene--clergy from many different religions and many 
ordinary people who had the good luck of asking Marlene for a helping 
hand.
  Mo was active as a volunteer for the Alzheimer's Association and the 
American Cancer Society. In everything she did, people and a concern 
for people took first place. In our office, her care for others and 
wise advice led people to call her ``Mama Mo.''
  A lesser known fact is that Marlene was an amazing writer. I remember 
she had written a piece in a contest and won a free trip to Hollywood. 
She was just so proud of that.
  She had a long-time dream to visit Ireland. Over her desk was a 
picture of herself and ``Tip'' O'Neill. She really valued that 
photograph as a reminder of her Irish heritage. She and Kathy Anderson 
of my staff had the trip to Ireland planned. But they weren't able to 
make the journey because of Marlene's illness. At her wake, I closed 
with an Irish blessing from all of us to a wonderful person and great 
public servant.

     May the road rise up to meet you.
     May the wind be always at your back.
     May the sun shine warm upon your face,
     The rain fall soft upon your fields.
     And until we meet again,
     May God hold you in the hollow of His hand.

  We will dearly miss Marlene Carls.
  (The remarks of Mr. Durbin pertaining to the introduction of S.J. 
Res. 56 are located in today's Record under ``Statements on Introduced 
Bills and Joint Resolutions.'')

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