[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 110 (Wednesday, September 4, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1491]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    TRIBUTE TO MR. JOSEPH F. WARNER

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JERRY WELLER

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, September 4, 2002

  Mr. WELLER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of Mr. 
Joseph F. Warner for his many years of service to the Illinois 
communities of Bloomington and Normal along with the County of McLean 
in Illinois. Mr. Warner was an outstanding leader in the civic, 
political, and charitable activities of these communities. Tragically, 
Mr. Warner lost his life on the morning of July 21 in an airplane 
crash. His strong leadership and enthusiasm for working to improve the 
quality of life in these Central Illinois communities will be very 
deeply missed.
  A strong advocate for the welfare and good health of senior citizens, 
Mr. Warner was the president and chief executive officer of Heritage 
Enterprises in Bloomington--a major senior service company with high 
quality senior residential facilities throughout the State of Illinois. 
Further evidence of his interest in health care--a field he served for 
32 years--was Mr. Warner's work as past president, vice president and 
director of the Illinois Health Care Association; as a member of the 
Governor's task forces on long-term care insurance and long-term care 
reimbursement; as a trustee of the Mennonite School of Nursing and as 
the past McLean County chairman of the American Heart Association.
  Another key aspect of Mr. Warner's leadership was his interest in the 
providing of educational opportunities for young people--as 
demonstrated by his work as the fund-raising chairman for the 
innovative Challenger Learning Center for Science and Math; his service 
on Illinois State University's Board of Director's legislative 
committee; his presidency of the Redbird Education and Scholarship Fun 
at Illinois State University and his membership on the Board of 
Directors of the Illinois Wesleyan University Association.
  Mr. Warner's wide-ranging interest in charitable and community 
service work was perhaps a natural extension of his strong spiritual 
beliefs which led to his directorship of the United Campus Christian 
Foundation and his leadership role as the ruling elder of the First 
United Presbyterian Church.
  As an exemplary citizen and veteran of the United States Army, Mr. 
Warner believed in playing a very active role in the political process. 
His role included both work at the grassroots level as a Republican 
Precinct Committeeman with leadership service as the Chairman of the 
McLean County Republican Party.
  Mr. Speaker, despite the tragic circumstances, I am proud to offer to 
you the fellow Members of the House of Representatives the 
extraordinary life of Mr. Joseph Warner as the ultimate example to us 
all of American citizenship and service.

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