[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 37 (Tuesday, April 5, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E528]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            HONORING THE LIFE OF WILLIAM ``SLIM'' SOMERVELL

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. MARILYN N. MUSGRAVE

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, April 5, 2005

  Mrs. MUSGRAVE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and 
service of Willis ``Slim'' Somervell, who has dedicated his life to 
God, his family, and the United States of America.
  Slim has said, ``You need to be true to yourself and you need to have 
beliefs and a value system. Without those, what are we?'' These are 
wise words. As I learned about the life of service that Mr. Somervell 
has led, I am inspired by his beliefs and his values.
  Service to America is one value Slim holds dear. He entered the 
United States Navy in 1941. In 1944, Slim was commissioned as a gunnery 
and navigation officer for the USS Landing Ship Medium 142.
  In addition to having command of the Landing Ship Medium, he also 
commanded Patrol Craft 1262, which conducted air and sea rescues in the 
Caribbean. He was also Executive Officer of the Patrol Craft Escort 
877.
  Slim worked in the Fleet Weather Center in Washington, DC and 
conducted Navy weather research in Norfolk, Virginia. He served on the 
Forrestal, CVA-59. He was also the staff meteorologist for the 
commander of the U.S. Second Fleet, later for the Western Pacific 7th 
Fleet and ultimately commanded the Navy Research Facility in Norfolk, 
Virginia.
  Devotion to family is another value that is important to Slim. While 
on assignment in Monterey, California, he met his wife Mary. They 
married in 1949 in Kerrville, Texas. They had five children, four girls 
and one boy. Slim and Mary are now grandparents of thirteen.
  Slim will often tell you, ``What more can a person ask for than 
children and grandchildren who turn out to be good citizens.'' As you 
can tell, Slim is quite proud of his family.
  After 30 years of faithful service to our country, Slim retired. But 
this did not slow him down. Slim took a job with the Bureau of 
Reclamation in their cloud seeding program. Later, Slim worked for the 
Department of Atmospheric Science at Colorado State University. Slim 
spent 15 years in that department as a manager, researcher and also a 
teacher.
  In addition to service to family and service to our country, Slim 
also strongly believes in service to God. Slim and Mary attend Saint 
Joseph's Catholic Church in Fort Collins, Colorado. There, Slim serves 
as a lector and a communion minister.
  Slim has been truly blessed with a great career and a great family. I 
invite my colleagues to join me in honoring Mr. Somervell. May God 
continue to bless the Somervells for years to come.

                          ____________________