[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 133 (Thursday, November 18, 2004)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2061]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         TRIBUTE TO JIMMIE DEE

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. ROBERT T. MATSUI

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, November 18, 2004

  Mr. MATSUI. Mr. Speaker today I rise in tribute to a man with a 
distinguished public service career. Throughout the course of his 
career, Jimmie Yee has served the people of Sacramento with great 
success and distinction. Jimmie will soon retire from his post as the 
Councilman from the 4th District of the Sacramento City Council. It is 
my honor to ask all my colleagues to join me in saluting Jimmie Yee, a 
man who has worked hard to make Sacramento a better place for everyone.
  A native of Sacramento, Jimmie was born in 1934. He attended Lincoln 
Elementary, Lincoln Junior High, and Sacramento High School. Jimmie 
attended the University of California, Berkeley, where he graduated 
with a Bachelor's Degree in Civil Engineering. Jimmie holds 
registrations as both a California Structural Engineer and Civil 
Engineer. In 1957, he joined the US Army Corps of Engineers and was 
honorably discharged after he achieved the rank of Captain in 1965.
  Jimmie began his professional career in civil service with CALTRANS 
and the State Department of Water Resources between 1956 and 1959. In 
1966, Jimmie entered the private sector when he started his own 
engineering practice. During a quarter century of involvement, Cole, 
Yee, Schubert and Associates became one of the largest consulting 
engineering firms in the Sacramento Region. The firm provided design 
services for many trademark buildings in Sacramento, including the 
original Convention Center, Suffer General and Suffer Memorial 
Hospitals, and ARCO Arena.
  In 1992, Jimmie was elected to a four-year term on the Sacramento 
City Council. Jimmie was subsequently reelected to the seat in 1996 and 
2000. Jimmie truly showed his mark as a great leader when Late Mayor 
Joe Serna passed away in the fall of 1999. Jimmie admirably answered 
the call to service by serving as Mayor for the reminder of Mayor 
Serna's term. Jimmie's leadership and ability to unite had a great 
steadying influence during this tumultuous period. The people of 
Sacramento owe you a debt of gratitude for your service.
  Long before he joined City Council in 1992, Jimmie was already an 
important leader in our community. Jimmie has long been one of the most 
ardent supporters of the Sacramento Chinese Drum and Bugle Corps. Until 
today, Jimmie remains an active member of the Sacramento Optimist Club 
and the Chinese American Council of Sacramento. In 1989, Jimmie 
organized the first Asian bone marrow drive in the United States when 
he registered more than 2,500 people. It's a testament to Jimmie's 
influence as a community leader that many of his wonderful 
contributions before he held elected office are still being felt today.
  A devoted family, Jimmie has been married to his wife, Mary, for 
fifty years. Together, they raised four daughters and two sons, all of 
whom are college graduates with professional credentials. Today, Jimmie 
and Mary are the proud grandparents of fifteen grandchildren.
  Mr. Speaker, as Jimmie Yee embarks on an exciting new chapter of his 
life, I am honored to pay tribute to a great champion of the City of 
Sacramento. The people of Sacramento have benefited greatly from 
Jimmie's leadership and we all owe him a debt of gratitude. I ask all 
my colleagues to join me in wishing Jimmie continued success in all of 
his future endeavors, wherever retirement may lead him.

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