[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 155 (Saturday, September 27, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2043]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   TRIBUTE TO JOHN R. BLACKBURN, JR.

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BILL SHUSTER

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 25, 2008

  Mr. SHUSTER. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of John R. 
Blackburn, Jr., Chairman of the UPMC Bedford Memorial Board of 
Directors. Mr. Blackburn will be retiring after 53 years of service to 
the UPMC Bedford Memorial Hospital. During his tenure John, or Jack, as 
he prefers to be known, has served in multiple leadership roles and has 
been active in a variety of committees including the Finance Committee 
and the Scholarship Committee. Jack helped form the Memorial Hospital 
of Bedford County Foundation, worked on the Spring House Estates 
project, and was a key player during the transition of the hospital to 
the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
  Mr. Blackburn was born on December 19, 1922 and has been a life-long 
resident of Bedford County. After graduating from Bedford High School 
he enrolled and graduated from the prestigious Dartmouth College in New 
Hampshire. Jack served in the Army Air Corps for 3 years and was 1st 
Lieutenant in the Pacific Theatre during World War II. He was also one 
of the select few who flew the B-32 bomber in the Philippines during 
that conflict. After his military service Mr. Blackburn returned home 
and became a partner of Blackburn Russell, a grocery distributor in 
Bedford.
  When Jack became a member of the Bedford Memorial Hospital Board of 
Directors in 1955 he was following a path paved by his father, John 
Blackburn, Sr., who has been one of the original Board members. Jack's 
service to the hospital was anything but in his father's shadow. He 
served on 12 different hospital committees administering everything 
from the Buildings and Grounds Committee to the Congestive Heart 
Failure Committee. He was elected Secretary of the Board in 1964 and 
served in that role until he was elected Vice-President in 1976. Ten 
years later Jack found himself elevated to the position of President of 
the Board of Directors. His position was retitled in 1994 making him 
Chairman of the Board. After 22 years of leading the Board, and 53 
years of service overall, Jack made the decision to step down and enjoy 
retirement.
  Mr. Blackburn and his late wife, Elizabeth dedicated their lives to 
improving their community. Jack has been an active member and leader in 
the Bedford community for many years and is well respected. A life of 
servitude to one's community is something to be proud of. It is also 
not one that is easy to step away from, because in a man like Jack 
Blackburn, the desire to help others and the community is something 
that never truly disappears. I would like to wish Mr. Blackburn all the 
best in his future endeavors. It is my pleasure to honor Mr. Blackburn 
today for his many years of service to the Bedford Community, and I 
hold him up as a model example of good citizenship.

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