[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 132 (Wednesday, October 9, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1802]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO LYNDAL WHITWORTH

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. WES WATKINS

                              of oklahoma

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, October 9, 2002

  Mr. WATKINS of Oklahoma. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor my 
district director, Lyndal Whitworth. On October 20, 2002, Lyndal will 
retire from Federal service. Lyndal has been a friend and partner in my 
efforts to help bring jobs and economic opportunities to the Third 
Congressional district, and he will be greatly missed by all who have 
known him and worked with him.
  I first met Lyndal in the Spring of 1966 when I was the high school 
and college relations director for Oklahoma State University. I was in 
Lamont, Oklahoma, for a Future Farmers of America Banquet at Lamont 
High School, where Lyndal was a junior. Lyndal was a top student, and a 
fellow FFA officer, so I recruited him to attend OSU, my alma mater. 
Lyndal went on the OSU, where he earned a degree in agriculture and 
served in the student government.
  In the Spring of 1978, during my freshman term in the House, I had an 
opening in my Washington office for a legislative assistant for 
agriculture. Lyndal was working on the Agriculture Department 
communications staff at OSU, and I immediately thought of him for the 
position. Unfortunately, for me Lyndal declined the offer for family 
reasons--he had a pregnant wife and young son, so the timing was not 
right for him to move to Washington.
  Later that year, however, I had another job opening--this one in my 
Ada, Oklahoma, district office. So, I contacted Lyndal again to ask him 
to join my district staff, and this time he accepted.
  Lyndal Whitworth and I share a dedication to rural Oklahoma and a 
commitment to working as hard as it takes and for as long as needed to 
get the job done. Keeping up with me is no easy task, and Lyndal's 
positive attitude and dedication to me and my mission made him a 
perfect fit as my district director. Lyndal frequently joined me in 
putting in 14, 16 to 18 hours a day, helping on my primary mission to 
improve the economic conditions of the Third District of Oklahoma, 
historically the most economically distressed area of the State.
  Lyndal's efforts in the district assisted my legislative efforts in 
Washington during my time in Congress. Just a few of the many projects 
for which Lyndal provided valuable assistance include Winding Stair 
National Recreation Area, McGee Creek Reservoir, Wes Watkins Reservoir; 
the USDA Agriculture Research Station in Lane, the OSU Center for 
International Trade Development, numerous highway and rural water 
projects, and countless local economic development and business 
recruitment projects. Our efforts have been very successful. The Third 
district has made great strides, and today is transforming from a 
depressed welfare area to an active economic growth area.
  I have served in the House for a total of 20 years, from 1977 to 1991 
and from 1997 to the present. Lyndal Whitworth has served on my staff 
for sixteen of those twenty years. He served his nation in the U.S. 
Army, worked for the United States Senate, and served as a civilian 
employee for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. I ask that the House 
join me in thanking Lyndal Whitworth for his many years of faithful 
public service and for a job well done.

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