[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 132 (Tuesday, December 5, 2006)]
[House]
[Page H8706]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING DR. MARION FLECK

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from New Mexico (Mr. Udall) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. UDALL of New Mexico. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to 
Dr. Marion Fleck, co-founder of the College of Nursing at the Health 
Sciences Center of the University of New Mexico. She was recently 
honored at a large gathering in Albuquerque, both for her enormous 
contributions to the field of nursing and also for her 90th birthday.
  Marion Fleck is truly a remarkable lady, and her story is legendary. 
Born in Wisconsin on September 4, 1916, she earned a degree in nursing 
in her home State, a master's from Yale University, and a doctorate 
from the University of New Mexico with honors. In 1955 Dr. Fleck and 
Mary Jane Carter met with then UNM President Tom Popejoy, whose support 
led to his securing $60,000 from the New Mexico legislature that year 
to found the first baccalaureate program in nursing in the State. Out 
of that initial funding, the college grew to graduate thousands of 
nurses over the years in every aspect of patient care: teaching, 
research, and all the nursing specialties. Of particular triumph, the 
UNM College of Nursing will be graduating its first Ph.D. candidates in 
the 2007 academic year.
  Dr. Fleck was Dean of the UNM College of Nursing in the mid-1970s and 
also served in other important positions in the community. She worked 
in public health and also served for 17 years as the director of school 
nursing for the Albuquerque public schools.
  She is loved and admired for her commitment and devotion to better 
health care by her fellow professionals, by students, and by the untold 
numbers of the community that she has served so well.
  Dr. Fleck's late husband was also a legend in public education. Dr. 
Martin Fleck was a professor and chair of biology at the University of 
New Mexico. Like his wife, he was a caring and involved member of his 
community, serving on committees that either founded or supported the 
symphony, public parks and many educational programs. He was also a 
devoted family man who, with his wife, raised his children, Martin and 
Ann Hara.
  Dr. Marion Fleck is a visionary whose unwavering enthusiasm, vigorous 
efforts and diligent action blazed the course for others. She inspired 
both students and health professionals to be the best they could and to 
strive to follow her example of commitment and devotion to professional 
nursing and public health. Because of her courageous and determined 
spirit over a century ago, thousands of citizens across New Mexico and 
the Nation have received quality trained nurses to strive to make a 
better life for others. I respectfully ask my colleagues to join me 
today in paying the highest tribute to a New Mexico treasure and a 
great American, Dr. Marion Fleck.
  Thank you, Dr. Fleck, for your many years of extraordinary service.

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