[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 81 (Wednesday, May 16, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6188-S6189]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    IN MEMORY OF PHIL B. CURLS, SR.

 Mrs. McCASKILL. Mr. President, I ask the Senate to join me 
today in honoring the life of Phil Curls, a much-loved member of the 
Kansas City community. With his passing, Phil has left a legacy of 
public service that will always be cherished, but Kansas City will not 
be the same without him.
  During his life, Phil was an integral member of the Kansas City 
community and was considered by many to be a local patriarch. Phil 
always cared deeply about others, whether it was his family, a 
political cause, or mentoring young leaders through Freedom, Inc.

[[Page S6189]]

  Phil was a graduate of DeLaSalle High School and earned a bachelor's 
degree in business administration from Rockhurst College. He served 11 
years in the Missouri House and 16 years in the State Senate before 
retiring in 1998.
  I had the distinct honor of serving with Phil in the Missouri General 
Assembly, where his tenure was marked by excellence and community 
involvement and where I learned important lessons about public 
leadership from him. Phil was always regarded highly by everyone he 
interacted with, including his contemporaries as well as older and 
younger politicians. Through his public service, Phil helped to shape 
the course that the city and State has taken.
  Phil was deeply involved in Freedom, Inc., making sure the community 
he loved had the political power necessary to bring about positive 
change. In addition to Freedom, Inc., Phil was involved in so many 
organizations and had so many achievements and awards that it would be 
very difficult to list them all. I can, however, state with total 
certainty that Phil left a permanent mark on Kansas City and will be 
fondly remembered and dearly missed.
  With Phil's passing, we have lost a prolific public servant and a 
passionate individual. I will miss him as a close friend. Phil is 
survived by his wife of 43 years, Councilwoman Melba Curls; daughter 
Monica; sons Phil II, Michael, Quincy and Louis; four grandchildren; 
and a large extended family.
  Mr. President, I ask that the Senate join me in honoring the life and 
legacy of Phil B. Curls, Sr.

                          ____________________