[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 159 (Wednesday, November 5, 2003)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2240-E2241]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           TRIBUTE TO FRANKLIN AUBREY ``FRANK'' SPOONER, JR.

                                 ______
                                 

                      HON. SANFORD D. BISHOP, JR.

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, November 5, 2003

  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, on Tuesday, September 27, the 
Second Congressional District of Georgia and the entire U.S. House 
suffered an irreparable loss with the passing of Franklin Aubrey 
``Frank'' Spooner, Jr., who served as a case worker in our Albany, 
Georgia office for the past six years.
  Many people have served in this institution longer but no one could 
have possibly served with greater courage, commitment, or concern and 
compassion for the people we strive to help. Although he suffered from 
a life-threatening health condition when he joined our staff, and was 
eventually given a terminal diagnosis, Frank worked as often and as 
hard as he could to the end. Even when death was

[[Page E2241]]

near, he focused more on the needs of others than on his own, remaining 
the same soft spoken, good humored, down-to-earth, hard-working, bright 
and decent guy we had always known.
  Frank was born in Macon, Georgia and raised in Fort Gaines, Georgia. 
He attended Mercer University in Macon. He was a newspaper reporter; 
managed retail businesses; operated his own small business when he 
turned his baseball card hobby into a profession; and served as a 
social worker and finally a Congressional case worker. He often said he 
was doing exactly what he wanted to do. For him, there was no higher 
calling than helping others, and he did it extraordinarily well.
  At an early age, he was diagnosed with a congenital kidney problem 
that eventually led to a transplant at the age of 23. When the 
transplant failed some years later, he was sustained with regular 
kidney dialysis. Several years ago, he was found to have cancer. 
Eventually, his condition proved to be untreatable. He died at the age 
of 49 at the Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital in Albany.
  He is survived by his mother, Mrs. Della Spooner Bell of Albany; a 
brother, Robert A. McKay (Juline) of Bushnell, Florida; an uncle, R.S. 
Spooner of Donalsonville, Georgia, and a number of nieces, nephews and 
cousins. Our prayers go out to his family.
  The Frank Spooner I have known would likely be embarrassed by all of 
the praise that has come his way in recent days from the many people 
who loved him, worked with him, and were helped by him. He would say he 
was not doing anything special--just doing his job as best he could.
  Frank did his best--and left the world a better place because of it.

                          ____________________