[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 155 (Tuesday, December 6, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2442]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  TRIBUTE TO LOIS BROCKMAN WELLINGTON

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ADAM B. SCHIFF

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 6, 2005

  Mr. SCHIFF. Mr. Speaker, I rise to celebrate the life and 
accomplishments of Lois Brockman Wellington, an amazing public servant, 
leader, caregiver, and friend.
  Lois was an exceptionally dedicated health provider, both for her 
family members and for the community she cared about so dearly. She 
became a champion of home care providers and long term care for 
seniors, and dedicated herself to the well-being of the aging.
  As a representative of Los Angeles County in the California Senior 
Legislature, Lois successfully pursued legislation on behalf of both 
youth and the aged. She also represented U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer as 
a Silver Senator to the National Silver Haired Congress. This 
organization holds annual meetings to discuss senior concerns and has 
been particularly active on social security and prescription drug 
policies. Lois was also President of the Congress of California 
Seniors. In this role, she advocated positions on numerous propositions 
and provided Californians with an important perspective on policy 
issues. She also fought for better regulation of long term care 
insurance policies.
  I know what a dedicated advocate Lois was for senior issues because 
she was not only a community treasure; she was also a dear friend. She 
was a constant--and vocal--reminder of the importance of Medicare as a 
lifeline for seniors, and of Medicaid as a social safety net. She 
tirelessly advocated for other programs such as the Older Americans Act 
and one of its signature programs, Meals on Wheels. Lois was a true 
inspiration to me--she was active even through her golden years--and 
her memory will be a lasting one both to our community and to me and my 
family.
  Lois received much well-deserved recognition for her work. In 1999, 
she was named Woman of the Year in the 43rd Assembly District and was 
appointed to the Commission on Aging by then Speaker Antonio 
Villaraigosa. This important commission is a principal advocate to the 
state on behalf of older individuals. To Lois, one of the most exciting 
distinctions she received occurred in 1997, when as a representative to 
a national senior organization, she was chosen to introduce then-
President Bill Clinton. Lois also traveled widely in her role as 
President of the International Senior Citizens Association, attending 
conferences in Guadalajara, Manila, Toronto, and Dublin.
  She is survived by a devoted family, including her husband of over 68 
years, Frederick E. ``Ted'' Wellington, daughter Barbara Dunbar Erman, 
son Rick Wellington, grandsons Larry and Mike Erman and Edward and 
Peter Wellington, and great grandchildren Sean Erman and Hailey 
Wellington.
  Lois was passionate and knowledgeable about her work, extremely 
energetic and an inexhaustible, wonderful, beautiful, gentle spirit. 
Our community is better for having known Lois, and I want to express my 
heartfelt condolences to her family and friends. She will be deeply, 
deeply missed.

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