[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 4 (Friday, January 9, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E59]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        HONORING THOMAS MAYFIELD

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. GEORGE RADANOVICH

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, January 9, 2009

  Mr. RADANOVICH. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of 
Thomas Mayfield for his dedication to his family, business and 
community. Mr. Mayfield lost his fight against lymphoma on December 9, 
2008; three days shy of his seventy-eighth birthday.
  Thomas Mayfield was born on December 12, 1930 in Holtville, 
California and was raised in Imperial County, California. As an 
adolescent his family moved to Hughson, California where he attended 
and graduated from Hughson High School in 1948. As a young man, Mr. 
Mayfield worked in construction in Alaska for 1 year before joining the 
Air Force. He served in the Air Force from 1950 to 1951, and returned 
to work in Alaska until 1953. In 1954 he married his wife, Anita, and 
moved back to Hughson. They began a small farm growing walnuts, almonds 
and grapes. The business eventually grew to include a hulling division. 
Up until a few months ago Mr. Mayfield was still working out in the 
fields on the family farm.
  Mr. Mayfield has a long history of involvement in the Hughson 
community. He was a member of the Stanislaus County Farm Bureau, the 
Hughson Chamber of Commerce and heavily involved with Saint Anthony's 
Church. He also served 10 years on the Hughson Elementary School Board. 
In 1992, he decided to run for an open seat on the Stanislaus County 
Board of Supervisors District 2, he was elected and began his 16-year 
run on the Board in 1993. Supervisor Mayfield was a strong voice for 
agriculture on the board and a proponent of family issues. He served on 
numerous committees and commissions; including serving as Vice 
President in 1996 and as the chairman of the board in 1997. He was the 
Board's representative to the Commission on Aging, Fish and Wildlife 
Committee, General Plan Update Committee, Joint Powers Authority 
Committee and member of the LAFCO Commission. He served as an alternate 
to the San Joaquin Valley Unified Air Pollution Control District Board 
of Directors, Safety Committee, Stanislaus Area Association of 
Governments Executive Committee and an alternate to the Emergency 
Medical Services Board of Directors and the Stanislaus-Ceres 
Redevelopment Committee. He was serving as chairman this year until he 
became too ill to attend meetings. Supervisor Mayfield was completing 
his fourth term on the board and did not run for re-election this year. 
He was an advocate, a dedicated public servant, a leader and a great 
friend to all that knew him.
  Supervisor Mayfield is survived by his wife of over 50 years, Anita; 
a daughter, Lisa Mayfield-Rigg; a son, Tom Mayfield; and three 
grandsons. He was preceded in death by a daughter, Laurie Woodward.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today to posthumously honor Supervisor Thomas 
Mayfield for his dedicated services to his family, his business and his 
community. I invite my colleagues to join me in honoring his life and 
wishing the best for his family.




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