[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 172 (Wednesday, December 12, 2001)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2265-E2266]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      IN MEMORY OF BONNIE SCANLAN

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. XAVIER BECERRA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 11, 2001

  Mr. BECERRA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay a heartfelt tribute to 
Bonnie Scanlan, a dear friend and civic-minded individual who worked 
tirelessly for the community of Echo Park in the City of Los Angeles, 
California. On Sunday, October 7, 2001, we lost Bonnie after a 
characteristically valiant fight for life following a massive heart 
attack. Bonnie was laid to rest Saturday, October 13, 2001 at Rose 
Hills Cemetery in Whittier, California; we are comforted knowing that 
today she rests in peace.
  Bonnie Susan Gerzofsky was born in Brooklyn, New York on January 28, 
1946 to Molly and Leonard Gerzofsky, already parents to toddler Stan. 
When she was in the fifth grade her family moved to Alhambra, 
California. From All Souls Catholic School and San Gabriel Mission High 
School, Bonnie went on to graduate from Pasadena City College and then 
become a social worker for the County of Los Angeles.
  She later married John Scanlan, together raising their three children 
Johnna, John and Stephan. Bonnie was a very hands on mom; she passed on 
her family's love of baseball to her boys, teaching them how to catch. 
She passed on the importance of community involvement to her children, 
as Bonnie's mother had to her, serving as Troop Leader during her 
daughter's days in the Brownies and the Girl Scouts. Bonnie was very 
proud of her family, especially her grandsons Christopher and Tommy. 
Perhaps the only love equal to that for her family, baseball and 
helping others was Bonnie's love for her ancestral homeland of Ireland.
  Ownership in a Domino's Pizza brought Bonnie to the community of Echo 
Park in the late 1980's. Even though Bonnie remained a resident of the 
nearby city of San Gabriel, she felt that as a business owner in Echo 
Park she had a responsibility to the community and its people. Bonnie's 
contributions are countless: helping to organize the Echo Park Pride 
Day, donating a monthly ``Pizza Night'' to the Chris Brownlie AIDS 
Hospice, holding a food drive at her pizza establishment every year 
during the holidays, feeding hungry police and firefighters during 
times of tragedy and crisis, and bringing the Los Angeles Philharmonic 
Musicmobile to the children at Mayberry School. It seems you could 
always count on her to support any cause that helped young people in 
the neighborhood and, of course, to dole out those pizzas whenever and 
wherever the need arose.
  In 1998 Bonnie was elected President of the Echo Park Chamber of 
Commerce, a position she held at the time of her death. She invigorated 
the Chamber: reviving the community Holiday Parade, instituting the 
Jackie Finer-Reed Scholarship, starting the Echo Park business 
district's ``Face Lift'' program, and organizing the yearly Echo Park 
Night at Dodger Stadium. And, yes, there were always pizzas at every 
event.
  I feel deeply privileged to have known Bonnie. She was a trusted 
friend. She was blessed with a kind, honest heart. And, as all who knew 
her will attest, she spoke her mind. How I miss that . . .
  On December 9, 2001, the community of Echo Park paid tribute to 
Bonnie Scanlan by dedicating this year's Holiday Parade in her memory. 
Bonnie served posthumously as Grand Marshal with her family riding the 
parade route in her stead. The people of Echo Park may not realize it, 
but Bonnie always felt that the community did more for her than she 
ever did for the community.

[[Page E2266]]

  Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride, yet profound sorrow, that I ask 
my colleagues to join me today in saluting Bonnie Scanlan, an 
exceptional human being. She left us too soon, with so much to do and 
so much to say. I will forever remember this beloved friend fondly.

                          ____________________