[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 106 (Wednesday, June 25, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1355]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 HONORING THE LIFE OF GENE OCHSENREITER

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. HEATH SHULER

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 25, 2008

  Mr. SHULER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Gene 
Ochsenreiter, a friend, athlete, and community leader. Mr. Ochsenreiter 
passed away in February of this year, and was honored at the 50th 
anniversary of the Western North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame Banquet 
recently.
  Western North Carolina lost a sports giant in February. Mr. 
Ochsenreiter was the captain of the University of Maryland men's 
basketball team in 1941, and also ran with the University's track team. 
He was also the \1/2\ mile champion in the Southern Conference and 
Junior National AAU Championships. In Asheville, he won numerous golf 
championships at the Country Club of Asheville. In 1988, he was 
inducted into the Western North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame.
  Mr. Ochsenreiter was a leader on and off the court. In 1958, Mr. 
Ochsenreiter founded the Mountain Amateur Athletic Club in Western 
North Carolina. Twenty years later in 1978 Mr. Ochsenreiter helped to 
found the Western North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame to honor western 
North Carolina high school and college athletes and teams. During his 
tenure with the WNC Hall, Mr. Ochsenreiter expanded the scope of the 
Hall to include all sports, as well as the Special Olympics and 
academics. He was a firm believer that students should put their 
academics before their sports career, and this was reflected during his 
time with the WNC Hall of Fame.
  Serving on the Asheville City Council and as a one-time mayor of 
Asheville, Mr. Ochsenreiter's contributions to Western North Carolina 
are endless.
  As a member of the WNC Hall of Fame, I thank Mr. Ochsenreiter for his 
dedication and commitment to the Hall during his fifty years of 
service. He will be missed. I ask my colleagues to join me in honoring 
the life of Gene Ochsenreiter.

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