[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 109 (Thursday, September 7, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1657-E1658]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   IN HONOR OF WILLIAM OSKAR GROGGINS

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. LYNN C. WOOLSEY

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 7, 2006

  Mr. WOOLSEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor William Oskar Goggins 
for the kindness and influence he showed the world during his 43 years 
here.
  Billy was born at St. Mary's Hospital in San Francisco, CA on Sunday, 
May 10, 1963--on Mother's Day. He was the first child of Patrick and 
Ute Goggins, both very well-known and respected individuals in the Bay 
Area and beyond.
  From the hospital he was carried right into a civil rights 
demonstration in Golden Gate Park. Billy took his first trip to Ireland 
at 4 years old to meet his family relatives in the west of Ireland in 
County Mayo. Annual family trips by car to Montana and Dakota included 
reunions in the Bear's Paw Mountains, hi-balling on the Iron Road, the 
old Great Northern Railway and running brave with Chippewa, Cree, 
Blackfoot and Sioux Indian friends. The Goggins' adventured on 2-month 
road trips to Baja and the Pacific Coast of Mexico where mother Ute 
painted, and sisters Cathy and Aimee followed in Bill's energetic 
footsteps. Billy toiled in family vineyards in Germany with equally 
embracing relatives. These things were the soul of his education.
  Over the years Bill played soccer, drew cartoons, tutored younger 
students from Mill Valley and Marin City, played volleyball at Stinson 
Beach, surfed in Bolinas, and much much more. He graduated from 
Tamalpais High School as a National Merit Scholar and Salutatorian.
  Summer jobs were at Bancroft-Whitney legal publishers, San Francisco 
and Wausau Paper Mill, Wisconsin. He worked at numerous restaurants 
including the Book Depot Café and Avenue Grill in Mill Valley, 
and Embarko in San Francisco. He also volunteered at St. Anthony Dining 
Room in the Tenderloin, providing free meals for the homeless.
  Bill attended Georgetown University School of Foreign Service and San 
Francisco State University, Departments of Communication and 
Philosophy. He began his vital journalism career with Frisko Kids, KALW 
radio, and then moved on to the old SF Weekly.
  Former SF Weekly editor and colleague Andrew O'Hehir remembers, ``Of 
course he worked harder than anyone and became essential, and in 3 
years moved from all-purpose intern to copy editor to ruIming the Arts 
and Entertainment section. I can't remember exactly when he became the 
go-to guy for headline copy, but I'd say that by the time he'd been 
there a year, he was writing half the heads in the paper.''

  Bill thrived at Wired for 10 years. He started as a freelance copy 
editor and rose to become deputy editor. Bill served as a special link 
between the digital industry's pace-setting magazine in the center of 
San Francisco's media gulch and an eager, educated national and 
international readership. His colleagues admired him tremendously.
  ``Bill was that rarest of things: a true original,'' says Chris 
Anderson, the magazine's editor in chief. ``He was brilliant, witty and 
culturally omnivorous, all of which combined in

[[Page E1658]]

his signature headlines. They usually worked on at least three levels 
of meaning, from some remixed cultural reference to at least one pun. 
In many ways his winking style and clever turns of phrase became Wired 
house style for nearly a decade, and to look at our covers and 
headlines over those years is to hear Bill's voice again.''
  Bill's voice also made its mark through the alternative dot-com 
generation's website Suck.com where he wrote under the name 'Bartelby'. 
Bill recently enjoyed writing and editing with the new magazine Todo, 
and they remember him not just as a logophile, a wordsmith, a gifted 
editor, a true friend; but also as ``one who tirelessly pursues 
perfection, fraternity and goodness.''
  A real linguist (German, Spanish and Bill-English) and traveler--Bill 
visited Tunisia, the Philippines, Bahamas, Mexico, Canada, and all over 
the United States and Europe. He was a dual citizen of the U.S. and 
Ireland. Bill was a citizen of the world.
  Bill was a San Franciscan through and through. He openly embraced and 
explored all of the city's neighborhoods. He was an avid supporter of 
the arts, with active memberships to many museums and regular 
attendance at the symphony, opera, ballet, varied theatres and clubs.
  Bill participated with his family and compatriots in the antiwar 
demonstrations from the Vietnam era to Iraq of today.
  My daughter, Amy Critchett, had the good fortune to be a friend with 
and to work with Bill at Wired for many years. ``Bill Goggins made work 
seem like work--because it was and he was so incredibly good at what he 
did--but with him around there was always a twist of irony and a splash 
of curly-haired, smiling-cheeked sunshine not far away,'' according to 
Amy. ``Get ready to laugh all you up there.''
  Bill inexplicably collapsed and passed away suddenly during mile 24 
of the San Francisco Marathon Benefit for Cancer on Sunday, July 30, 
2006. He was in fit condition and many knew him as a wonderful, 
companionable runner, reconciled, strong and happy.
  An outpouring of hundreds from around the globe, representing family, 
friends, colleagues, public officials on local, state and national 
levels, ambassadors, the Irish and British governments, the Democratic 
party, and diverse cultural non-profit organizations attended a 
memorial mass held at our Lady of Mount Carmel Church and a life 
celebration at the Outdoor Art Club in Mill Valley on August 4, 2006.
  Billy was a deeply loved member of a very close family. He supported 
all of them individually and together--helping hang his mother Ute's 
art shows, assisting his father Pat with community outreach via 
organizations such as the Irish Forum, Irish Mexican Association, and 
Irish Literary and Historical Society to name a few, being the proud 
uncle to sister Cathy's two children, Lina Rose & Dominic Chester, and 
showing up for sister Aimee's various work events or helping edit her 
writing.
  Bill believed in justice, peace and humanity. He connected with 
people everywhere he went. No one and nothing escaped his keen eye and 
warm words. His sense of community was broad and all-encompassing. Bill 
was a man of grace. He chipped in for everyone.
  He had old-fashioned manners, was a staunch listener and he gave of 
himself enormously. His roughish grin, sparkle in his eye and love of 
discussion and opinion will live on with us forever.
  Mr. Speaker, Bill had enormous integrity and loyalty, and taught us 
all how to be total human beings. To be fearless, to be bold, to be 
true to yourself. To be both gracious and outspoken. To pursue what 
matters in life and cherish each other. Bill knew all of these things 
and helped us be them too. Bill lived his life and made all of us 
proud. He will be deeply missed by many.

                          ____________________