[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 52 (Thursday, May 4, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E721]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    CELEBRATING THE 60TH ANNIVERSARY OF LA PERLA CAFE IN PHOENIX, AZ

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. ED PASTOR

                               of arizona

                    in the house of representatives

                         Wednesday, May 3, 2006

  Mr. PASTOR. Mr. Speaker, I rise before you today to pay tribute to La 
Perla Cafe, a Mexican food restaurant in Glendale, Arizona, and its 
owners, the late Joseph Peralta Pompa, his wife Eva Macias Pompa, and 
their family, on the occasion of the 60th Anniversary of their 
restaurant.
  La Perla has been a popular family-operated restaurant in the west 
Valley since 1946. In an industry where small business owners sometimes 
struggle to survive, the Pompas have thrived by following one simple 
rule: Serving food as good as what you make at home.
  The Pompa family history in Arizona dates back to the early 1900s. 
Joseph Pompa was born in Pierce, Arizona, the son of the Pompas from 
Sonora, Mexico. When he was one year old, his father abandoned the 
family, which included his mother and seven sisters. The family moved 
to Jerome, Arizona, and Joseph, or Joe, began working as a copper miner 
at the age of 14.
  Eva Macias Pompa was born in Camargo, Chihuahua, Mexico, and 
immigrated to the United States at the age of 1, along with her widowed 
mother. They arrived in Clarkdale, Arizona, where Eva's mother made a 
living by cleaning houses. She eventually remarried and had five more 
children. Eva's stepfather later became very ill so Eva had to quit 
high school in order to work to support her family. She cleaned houses 
to help make ends meet.
  Joseph and Eva Pompa met and married in 1935. When Joe married Eva, 
he was the Welterweight Champion for Arizona. Eva couldn't bear the 
violence of boxing, and Joe retired from the sport. He took 
correspondence courses on electronics when he had free time, and 
received his degree. He was then hired as an electronic engineer at 
Goodyear Air Research.
  The couple opened La Perla in 1946, determined to make their 
restaurant a success. Eva learned her cooking skills from her mother 
and had a passion for not only cooking Mexican food, but all ethnic 
foods. The Pompas were very kind, hard working people who wanted their 
children to have all the educational opportunities available, and to 
pursue a life defined by faith in God, pride in one's work, and 
happiness. As the restaurant took off, Joe and Eva had four children: 
Sylvia, Gloria, Joanne and Joseph. In 1961, Joseph senior passed away. 
Despite his sadness, the younger Joseph, also known as Butch, started 
working in the restaurant at the age of 13 to take his father's place. 
Butch grew up, married and had four sons and a daughter. Butch's son 
Gabe, a graduate of the San Francisco Culinary Art School, now is head 
of catering for La Perla and oversees cooking assistants.
  La Perla has at one time or another employed aunts, uncles, cousins, 
and multiple generations of Pompa family members. The four generations 
of Pompas number into the hundreds and are part of the great American 
success stories woven into our U.S. history. Working as cooks, chefs, 
lawyers, teachers, salespeople, or real estate agents, all the Pompas 
have contributed to this country in their pursuit of the American 
Dream.
  For this reason, I wish to honor The Pompas and I ask my colleagues 
to join me in congratulating the family on the occasion of La Perla 
Cafe's 60th Anniversary, and wishing them many more years of success.

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