[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 64 (Thursday, May 1, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E841]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


 RECOGNIZING BROTHER TIMOTHY DIENER FOR HIS OUTSTANDING SERVICE TO THE 
                         PEOPLE OF NAPA COUNTY

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                           HON. MIKE THOMPSON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 1, 2003

  Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize 
and honor Brother Timothy Diener for his outstanding commitment to 
serving the Napa Valley community in my home state of California.
  June 2003 will mark the 75th anniversary (diamond jubilee) of Brother 
Timothy's entry into the De La Salle Christian Brothers.
  Brother Timothy, a lifelong Catholic and the son of German 
immigrants, was born in 1910 in New Jersey. In 1918 his family moved to 
Los Angeles, where he graduated from Cathedral High School. He joined 
the Christian Brothers in 1928 and made two significant discoveries, 
wine and teaching.
  At the age of 25, Brother Timothy became heavily involved in the new 
Christian Brothers winery. Officially his title was ``wine chemist'' 
but it was common to find him performing such additional duties as 
digging ditches, being the hose dragger, scrubbing the tank, driving 
the trucks and operating the cement mixer. Half a century of hard work 
and excellence have since passed and today Brother Timothy is 
considered a pioneer in the Napa Valley wine industry and is treasured 
as a master vintner.
  Much like the spectacular wine he makes, Brother Timothy gets better 
with age. Though he turns 93 in November, Brother Timothy maintains an 
enthusiasm for life and a deep dedication to serving others. Not 
surprisingly, he continues to serve the cause of Christian Brothers' 
education as an honorary founding member of the Lasallian Education 
Fund. He uses his position to assist the underserved youth of our 
community.
  Mr. Speaker, Brother Timothy represents much more than Napa's wine 
roots or our communities commitment to promoting education. Quite 
simply, Brother Timothy represents the heart of the Napa Valley. His 
life has been a legacy of hard work, faith and passionate living. For 
all of these reasons and countless more, it is most appropriate that we 
honor Brother Timothy Diener at this time and congratulate him on 75 
years with the De La Salle Christian Brothers.

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