[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 53 (Wednesday, April 27, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E787]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO MR. JONAS KISBER

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOHN S. TANNER

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 27, 2005

  Mr. TANNER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a great 
American and a very dear friend of mine, Mr. Jonas Kisber, of Jackson, 
Tennessee. Jonas just recently celebrated his 75th birthday, surrounded 
by family and many friends.
  Jonas was born into a family of retail merchants. Kisber's Department 
Store, founded in 1905, was a fixture in Jackson for many years. 
Everyone in West Tennessee was familiar with Kisber's Store and when 
the store closed in December of 1991, it was an emotional, as well as 
economic, loss for the area.
  Jonas entered the United States Army in 1952. He served in the Korean 
conflict, and was honorably discharged in 1954 when he began his career 
at the family business. Jonas served as President of Kisber's 
Department Stores, Inc. from 1974 until 1991. He has been involved in 
many civic and cultural activities. He and his late wife, Jane Louise 
Greenberg Kisber, were well known in their community and in the State 
of Tennessee for being available to help when you needed someone you 
could count on to get a job done.
  Jonas was the founding Treasurer of the Episcopal Day School, has 
served in various offices for the Friends of the Jackson Madison County 
Library Foundation, was President of the Tennessee Retail Merchants 
Association in 1976-1977, is a member of the Tennessee Library 
Association, the Jackson Lions Club, served on the Board of Directors 
of the Jackson Area Chamber of Commerce, and is a past President of the 
Temple B'nai Israel. He is a member of the Board of Directors of Murray 
Guard, Inc. He is also currently a member of the Tennessee Board of 
Regents, a position previously held by his wife, Jane, and to which he 
was appointed at the time of her death in August of 2002.
  He and his late wife are the parents of three children, Joan Kisber 
Haskins of Chicago, Illinois, Matthew Harris Kisber of Nashville, 
Tennessee and Rachel Kisber Obermeier of Bad Soden, Germany. Matt, a 
former Tennessee State Representative for many years, currently serves 
as Commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community 
Development. Jonas is also the proud grandfather of three boys and a 
new granddaughter.
  Throughout his life, Jonas has contributed much to his community, his 
state and his nation. He has never shied away from work when his skills 
and efforts were needed and could make a difference. It is my high 
honor to recognize his many achievements and contributions, and to say 
thanks to him for all he has done through the years to make the City of 
Jackson and the State of Tennessee a better place in which to live.

                          ____________________