[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 4 (Tuesday, January 9, 2007)]
[House]
[Page H230]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   HONORING THE LIFE OF HOWARD ZWYER

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, today our community bid special praise and 
farewell to a beautiful human being, Howard Zwyer of Monclova, Ohio. A 
lifelong farmer, along with his wife, Eleanor, his brother, Ray, and 
his wife, Thelma, farmed over 1,000 acres as their father had before 
them. And the Zwyer family, and Howard, carried on an ethic of 
stewardship of our land, of husbandry, soil conservation and community 
mindedness that surely is not equaled by any other American.
  He was 83. He lived to be 83, and he died within a mile of his 
birthplace. He and his brother, Ray, and their father, John, began 
growing corn, soybeans and wheat in the early years, even raising beef 
cattle.
  Now, their father died in 1963, and the brothers took over. And they 
loved the land. When he retired formally from agriculture, he gardened 
and shared the produce with others. He really needed to work with the 
soil. It was part of him. And he never complained about being a farmer.
  Mr. Zwyer retired formally about 20 years ago, and his brother died 
in 2002. I can tell you, they represented agriculture in Northern Ohio. 
There was nothing like getting on a combine with the Zwyers beaming ear 
to ear. I had some of those experiences.
  He inherited so much of his spunk from his father, and he was also 
political. Howard was a Township Trustee from 1972 to 1979 and sought 
public office because he thought there needed to be changes for the 
better. Without complaint, he accepted constituents' phone calls of 
praise or blame and made sure the telephone was at the dinner table so 
he could answer.
  And during late night snowstorms, he helped plow the roads. He really 
was a builder of our community. Throughout his public service, he 
attended most trustees meetings and recruited others to run for 
township office. His daughter said he was a little sad about how 
Monclova had evolved into more of a suburban community, but he 
understood how progress may change life as we have known it.
  In retirement, Mr. Zwyer made bluebird houses, which he installed and 
tended, lots of bluebird houses. The family joked about how he could do 
anything if he had a roll of duct tape, a Snickers bar and a can of WD-
40. And that is so true.
  He loved adventures with his grandchildren, and he gave out cards 
that gave you hugs and kisses, and he handed out lots of tulips.
  He was a member of St. Joseph's Church, Maumee, and became an usher 
until he became ill about 6 years ago.
  He was a 1941 graduate of former Monclova High School, and his 
beloved wife, Eleanor, survives him. They have been married since 1945. 
They have a daughter, Jeanne Counts; a brother, Bob Zwyer; and two 
grandsons.
  It is such a joy to be able to talk about the life of this wonderful, 
wonderful Ohioan who did so much to create a culture of caring and of 
fatherliness across our region and who helped make agriculture in Ohio, 
our leading industry, what it is today.
  We shall truly miss Howard Zwyer and all of the values that he 
represented. We know that he, his brother Ray, their father, are in a 
very, very special place in the city beyond the stars. We shall miss 
them. We wish their families Godspeed. Our thoughts are with them 
particularly at this difficult time.

                     [From The Blade, Jan. 7, 2007]

                           Howard John Zwyer

       Howard John Zwyer, 83, of Monclova, passed away Friday, 
     January 5, 2007, at the Hospice of Northwest Ohio in 
     Perrysburg. Howard was born May 13, 1923, in Monclova, the 
     son of John and Sophie Grossheim Zwyer. He graduated from 
     Monclova High. School in 1941. Howard was a farmer and 
     gardener his entire life, never living more than one mile 
     from his original home. He loved sharing his raspberries, 
     blackberries and other produce from his garden with neighbors 
     and friends. Howard was a lifelong member of St. Joseph 
     Catholic Church and ushered for many years. He served as a 
     Monclova Township Trustee for eight years and after his 
     service, he stayed active in the township and politics. He 
     was a member of the Monclova Democrat Club, Lucas County Farm 
     Bureau, the Maumee Eagles and the Lucas County Soil and Water 
     Conservation District. Howard loved his family, International 
     tractors, duct tape, WD-40, Snickers bars, adventures with 
     his grandsons, hugs, Tulips, bluebirds and smiles.
       He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Eleanor; daughter, 
     Jeanne (Jim) Counts; grandsons, Buck (Heather) Counts and 
     Will Counts; brother, Bob (Eleanor) sister-in-law, Thelma 
     Zwyer and many special nieces and nephews. He was preceded in 
     death by his parents; son, Jimmy; a daughter, Julie; brother 
     and sister-in law, Paul and Geneva; brother, Raymond, and 
     sister and brother-in-law, Helen and Gilbert Sattler.

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