[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 107 (Friday, July 18, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1538]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         HONORING LATE LEADER OF SOUTH LAKE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. GINNY BROWN-WAITE

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, July 18, 2003

  Ms. GINNY BROWN-WAITE of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor 
the late Howard Stockton of Clermont, Florida. The long time leader of 
the South Lake Chamber of Commerce in my Fifth Congressional District 
of Florida, Mr. Stockton passed away this weekend after a long battle 
with cancer.
  Howard Stockton will be greatly missed by all who knew him and will 
be remembered as a kind, caring man with vigor and enthusiasm, and as a 
consensus builder with amazing ability and talent.
  As many current Floridians, myself included, Mr. Stockton was not a 
native of Florida but made it his home. An Ohio native, a graduate of 
Kent State University, a former teacher and administrator, Mr. Stockton 
retired to Florida with his wife in 1989 to be closer to his two sons.
  However, his penchant for activity and his well-known energy and zest 
would not allow him to simply live the tranquil life associated with 
retirement. He joined the local Loins Club and the South Lake Council 
for the Arts and then took his community activity to the next level by 
accepting the position of executive director of the Clermont Area 
Chamber of Commerce.
  Under his leadership, the strength and membership of the chamber 
grew. He guided it from a small city group into a regional organization 
nearly three times its original size. The success of the South Lake 
Chamber of Commerce is a reflection of Mr. Stockton's charismatic 
personality and his remarkable ability to bring people together.
  We in the State of Florida and in the South Lake Chamber are both 
very fortunate that Mr. Stockton was able to share his extraordinary 
abilities with us and at the same time very saddened by the loss of 
such a wonderful man.
  It has been said that, ``When you met Howard, you felt like you had 
met a friend.'' we will all miss our friend.

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