[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 39 (Tuesday, March 11, 2003)]
[House]
[Pages H1723-H1724]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     TRIBUTE TO JOSEPH C. BEAUPREZ

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mrs. Blackburn). Under the Speaker's 
announced policy of January 7, 2003, the gentleman from Colorado (Mr. 
Beauprez) is recognized for the remaining 10 minutes.
  Mr. BEAUPREZ. Madam Speaker, I rise to call the attention of the 
Members of this House of Representatives to a special occasion, the 
85th birthday of a great American, my father, Joe Beauprez.
  Like many other Americans, my dad's greatness does not come from 
wealth, public acclaim, notoriety, titles, nor worldly deeds. 
Nonetheless, he has definitely achieved world class status in the roles 
in life he chose to follow, more inconspicuous, more anonymous than 
some, but roles of importance requiring great character, substance, 
faith, and conviction.
  Madam Speaker, my dad was content being husband, father and faithful 
servant to his God. He wanted nothing more than the unqualified love of 
my mother, the opportunity to work very hard and have something to show 
for it, to set a path for his children a bit smoother and more pleasant 
than the one he had to follow and, most importantly, to earn an eternal 
place in heaven as he believes to be God's plan.
  Madam Speaker, like so many of his generation, America's greatest 
generation, my dad's parents were immigrants. They came to America 
poor, with little formal education, unfamiliar with our language and 
our customs. She had been a weaver of fine Belgian lace. He carried her 
lace in a sack on foot from town to town, selling it in local markets 
to earn a living. Times were hard, and the First World War threatened. 
News of opportunity in America offered them hope.
  In America my grandfather shoveled coal to furnaces, and later with a 
loan from a neighbor, sealed with a handshake, he bought 80 acres of 
land, his own piece of America, something to call his own, and so much 
more than that sack that he owned in Belgium.
  Though he had never been a farmer, with will and determination he 
learned quickly. In time he expanded the farm, raised eight children, 
my dad being the sixth, and the one who would end up keeping the farm 
going as his own, and my home, too, for nearly all my life.
  Dad got to eighth grade at the local Catholic school, a 3-mile walk 
away. The early 1930s were not the best of times, Depression days. To 
keep the farm going, he came home to help out his dad and older 
brothers, never getting any more schooling.
  My mom was more fortunate, she fished ninth grade before returning 
full time to her own parents' farm nearby. Mom and dad got married in 
1940, and this June will celebrate 63 years together, an enormous and 
far too unusual achievement in today's world. They raised four kids, 
they saw to it we all went through that same Catholic school, even 
though money was always in short supply when we were growing up. They 
wanted only the best for their kids. All of us got through high school, 
and off to college, too. They found a way. Used cars, patched overalls, 
hand-me-down clothes, lots of home-grown cooking, and sack lunches. 
They found a way.
  Many have observed that real heroes are in short supply these days, 
especially for our young people to emulate. Many of us worry that role 
models are in far too limited supply. We all certainly learn from our 
own experiences, learn by doing we call it, but we are also greatly 
impacted as we grow and develop by those powerful mentors that 
influence us: Teachers, coaches, neighbors, presidents, pastors and 
parents.
  I will confess, Madam Speaker, that it took far too long for me to 
realize it, but my dad was the best. I am so blessed to have had him as 
both dad and hero. By worldly standards, dad might not have had so 
much. Winston Churchill explained it very well. ``We make a living by 
what we get. We make a life by what we give.''
  Dad gave so much, and has lived a wonderful, eventful, purposeful 
life. Allow me to simply reflect on three gifts from my dad for which I 
am especially grateful: First by his example, he taught me the value of 
hard work, of self reliance, and personal responsibility. In an age 
when it seems the norm to try to get along as easily as possible, dad 
saw differently.
  Dad cherished his opportunity to work the soil of that farm and to 
care for his livestock. Remembering the lessons of the Depression, as 
well as the drought years of the early 1950s, he knew he could lose 
whatever he had. He knew he could not do much about the weather nor the 
markets, the only variable he could control was his effort

[[Page H1724]]

and his will, so he pushed himself. By sheer determination, he overcame 
obstacles to which most men would succumb.
  How hard did he work? Well, not only did he farm the soil, he 
maintained a large cow-calf operation, and in 1952 he started milking 
some cows, too, to make enough money to pay the bills. He not only 
tried, he succeeded, and work hard he did. In fact, he never missed a 
single milking of those cows until he took one day off 14 years later. 
Even more impressive than his unfailing work ethic was this, he never 
complained. He never even talked about wanting to take it easier, take 
a vacation, sleep in just one morning. He had a job to do and a purpose 
for his work. He showed up every single day, and he did it. Falling to 
sleep night after night completely exhausted, he would rise well before 
dawn the next day to do the same all over again.
  Secondly, Madam Speaker, as I already mentioned, soon my parents will 
celebrate their 63rd anniversary. The years and the hard work have 
taken a toll on them both. Mom broke her hip a couple of weeks ago, and 
is recovering in a hospital back home. Dad's memory is not quite so 
crisp any more. Lately he struggles to remember my name. It is a 
terrible disease, and a tough thing to witness. But he remembers who he 
loves and is even more devoted and tender to my mom than ever.
  In 63 years, and I lived next door to him for most of those years, I 
never worried once where he spent the night or if he loved my mother. A 
wise person once said the greatest gift a father can give their 
children is to love their mother. Well done, dad, I never doubted. Once 
again, you provided me a perfect role model for my own marriage.
  Madam Speaker, my dad gave me a third gift by his profound example. 
Regardless how deep the snow was, how much hay we had to bale, I knew 
right where we would be at 8 Sunday morning, in the third pew on the 
left of that same little Catholic church in which he was baptized. 
Giving back to God was simply nonnegotiable, because he knew he was 
blessed and wanted to say thanks.
  Faith, family and the value of hard work, he taught me the most 
valuable lessons of life, and I am eternally grateful.
  Madam Speaker, at a time when good examples seem hard to find, 
leaders often shun the responsibility to be role models. When real 
heroes are usually found only in history books, I have had the 
privilege of spending most of my life side by side with one of the all-
time best. I think of my dad as a truly great American because he 
embodies the spirit of America, to try when the odds are against you, 
to love and have faith unconditionally, to dream big dreams and chase 
them and sacrifice for them, and to love this land, America, where the 
spirit inside your soul has the freedom to be as big and endless as 
this great Nation herself.
  Madam Speaker, it is for those reasons I ask to have this tribute 
entered into the record of the 108th Congress of the United States of 
America commending the life and contribution of Joseph C. Beauprez of 
Lafayette, Colorado, on the occasion of his 85th birthday. Happy 
birthday, dad.

                          ____________________