[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 16 (Tuesday, January 27, 2009)]
[House]
[Pages H529-H530]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    TRIBUTE TO RAYMOND M. FITZGERALD

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Illinois (Mr. Shimkus) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. SHIMKUS. Madam Speaker, today I come to the well and before my 
colleagues to remember one of my employees who was with me for 5 years 
and a true Chicago South Sider, an individual who worked diligently 
here in the Washington, D.C. community for many, many years, Ray 
Fitzgerald.
  Ray was my legislative director for 5 years. Before that, he worked 
for the State of Illinois in Gov. Jim Edgar's administration. He then 
moved to the Science Committee for 1 year, and then came to my office.
  Ray, during his time here, met the love of his life, Kristin 
Wolgemuth, who also was a Congressional staffer and also from Chicago, 
and who had worked for Harris Fawell, a Congressman and Congresswoman 
Judy Biggert from the Chicagoland area. They fell in love, got married, 
and then were able to enjoy D.C. and the community and work hard for 
this country. They have three children; Nora, 7, Maggie, 4, and Lucy, 
2. Ray was a devout Roman Catholic, and Ray was able to live his faith, 
along with his wife, Kristin, and affect many lives positively.
  Ray just last week lost his life in a terrible battle with cancer. 
Many of us from around the country attended his funeral yesterday in 
Chicago and the wake the night before. The wake was as large as you 
would expect when you have a loved one who has left you. Of course, the 
funeral was just as large, and I appreciated the funeral service 
focusing on the hope of salvation to those who believe, and remembering 
Ray's life.
  But the thing that highlighted Ray's service here in Washington and 
the respect he garnered was his honesty, his transparency, the 
friendships that he developed and his work effort. Many people from the 
Washington, D.C. area went out for the wake and for the funeral 
yesterday, and we will pass the word out to the Washington, D.C. 
community about a memorial service that will be conducted here in 
Washington in the weeks to come. Kristin and the girls are coming out, 
along with Ray's mother and other family members and friends.
  What was as important in this fight with cancer was the ministry that 
Kristin and Ray did as they struggled with what is God's will. Many 
times we pray for God's will to be done, hoping that it is the answer 
to our desires and aspirations and prayers. God's will in this case was 
not for Ray to stay here on Earth, but to take him up in His loving 
arms with Him in Heaven and thus be truly healed.
  This battle that was raged joined numerous people from across the 
country as Kristin was faithful in providing us the highs and the lows 
of the battles; the times when they were able to take the girls out to 
parks and to zoos and the times the family was very hopeful, but also 
times when Ray was really physically just struggling. She continued to 
ask for prayer and support and focus on her husband, her family and 
that loving environment.
  One of the last e-mails I sent to them was talking about how they 
were able to comply with God's will. I really hated when Ray left 
Washington, D.C. He was a trusted confidant and a good friend. But, in 
hindsight, I see how God was preparing for his departure to get him in 
and around his family. He has five sisters. His mother is still there. 
Kristin has an extended family in that area. They were there to lift 
Ray, Kristin and the girls up and provide the love and care that they 
needed in this battle, and they will be there for the duration of 
strengthening the family and helping Kristin raise these three young 
girls.
  I would like to share one of the last e-mails that Kristin sent to us 
as a whole on the announcement of her husband's death.
  She writes, ``Loved ones, oh to never have to write this e-mail. 
After meeting with all of Ray's doctors yesterday and today it is clear 
that they have done all they can do to fight his cancer.
  ``Despite the many rounds of chemo, the cancer is growing and getting 
stronger and Ray is much too weak to endure another round of chemo. 
Even if he weren't so sick, Ray's liver status renders chemo dangerous 
and ineffective.''

[[Page H530]]

  In this, she is talking about putting him into hospice, and Ray died 
shortly after that.
  Now, think of a young wife and mother of three children, ages 7, 4 
and 2, to be so strong in faith. She always would end her e-mails with 
the phrase ``not afraid and not alone,'' and this is in the 10 month 
battle with cancer. ``Not afraid and not alone.'' In the funeral 
yesterday, I thought I heard Kristin say many people attributed that to 
her. She attributed it to her husband.

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