[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 94 (Wednesday, July 13, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1474]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


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                   CELEBRATING THE LIFE OF GARY CLARK

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                    HON. JUANITA MILLENDER-McDONALD

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 13, 2005

  Ms. MILLENDER-McDONALD. Mr. Speaker, Congresswoman Lucille Roybal-
Allard and I rise today to celebrate the life of Gary Clark, who died 
on June 22, 2005 at age 47. Gary was a longtime resident of Signal 
Hill, CA in the 37th Congressional District.
  Over the past two decades, Gary served with great distinction in the 
world of public transportation. He was the head of the Government 
Relations Department at the Los Angeles County Metropolitan 
Transportation Authority, one of the largest public transit agencies in 
the country.
  He began his transit career with the Orange County Transportation 
Authority and in 1988 joined the Southern California Rapid Transit 
District, which eventually became LACMTA.
  In his capacity as Deputy Executive Officer of Government and Board 
Relations, Gary played a leadership role in coordinating LACMTA's 
legislative advocacy in Washington and Sacramento. He spent a 
significant amount of time on Capitol Hill over the years and, as a 
result, we came to know him and his work well.
  Gary possessed great integrity and intelligence. His friends, 
coworkers and family remember him as a person of dignity, strength and 
compassion despite the pressures of a demanding job. He was the 
quintessential public servant who dedicated himself to the needs of the 
community and firmly believed in the mission and purpose of public 
transportation.
  In addition, Gary was a man of great faith. He served as Director of 
Music for 13 years at Grace United Methodist Church in Long Beach, CA. 
He also actively served Grace Methodist as a Trustee and member of its 
Worship Committee. Additionally, he was selected to be a lay delegate 
to the California Pacific Annual Conference of the United Methodist 
Church.
  Although we know him primarily through his role in transportation 
policy, Gary displayed a real zest for life and was passionate about 
many things--the church, politics, democracy, equality and sports. He 
was an ardent Los Angeles Dodgers fan and also closely followed the 
football team at UCLA, his alma mater.
  Mr. Speaker, it is with sadness that we say farewell to a remarkable 
human being who personified the best in public service and served the 
public transportation community with honor and distinction. Gary will 
be truly missed. We extend our condolences to his partner, Peter Cobo, 
his mother, Berniece Clark, sisters Diane Kildun and Kathleen Larson, 
and nephews and nieces.

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