[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 85 (Wednesday, May 23, 2007)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1135-E1136]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  IN MEMORY OF DR. BENEDICT K. ZOBRIST

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. IKE SKELTON

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 23, 2007

  Mr. SKELTON. Madam Speaker, it is with deep sadness that I inform the 
House of the death of Dr. Benedict K. Zobrist, the former director of 
the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library.
  Dr. Zobrist was born in Moline, Illinois, on August 21, 1921, son of 
Benedict and Lila A. Colson Zobrist. He graduated from Moline High 
School in 1939 and went on to attend Augustana College, but left his 
studies to join the United States Army in 1942. After serving in World 
War II and upon discharge from active duty, he returned to complete his 
college studies. It was at Augustana College that he met Donna 
Anderson, his future wife. Benedict graduated in 1946 with a bachelor's 
degree in history and began graduate school at Stanford University. 
However, he returned to the Midwest to be closer to Donna and on 
October 23, 1948, they were united in marriage.
  Dr. Zobrist resumed his studies at Northwestern University, earning 
both a master's degree (1948) and a doctor of philosophy degree (1953) 
in history. After completing his education, Dr. Zobrist joined the 
staff of Augustana College, where he became a full-time faculty member 
in 1960. In 1962, he won a Fulbright Fellowship and studied at Tunghai 
University in Taichung, Taiwan. He also pursued advanced studies at the 
East Asia Institute at Columbia University in New York in 1962-63.

[[Page E1136]]

  Dr. Zobrist moved to Missouri in 1969 to join the staff of the Truman 
Library in Independence; he became director shortly thereafter. He 
worked diligently to expand the collections of the library, traveling 
from coast to coast to meet with members of the Truman administration, 
as well as other significant figures of that period. Zobrist expanded 
the work of the Harry S. Truman Library Institute, the not-for-profit 
foundation associated with the library. He went on to charter a course 
for the expansion of the Institute's education efforts and its support 
of the library's operations within the National Archive system. Dr. 
Zobrist was most proud of instituting ``Truman Week'', a week long 
annual celebration held around President Truman's May 8th birthday.
  Dr. Zobrist maintained his affiliation with the United States Army as 
a reservist, and retired as lieutenant colonel. He spent many summers 
on active duty with the Office of the Chief of Military History in 
Washington, DC,; he also served as a faculty member at the Command and 
General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, and the Army Intelligence 
School, Fort Bragg.
  Madam Speaker, I know the members of the House will join me in 
extending heartfelt condolences to Donna Anderson Zobrist and their 
three sons: Karl, Mark, and Erik.

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