[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 56 (Thursday, April 2, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E856-E857]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   HONORING ROBERT FAY ROCKWELL, JR.

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ERIC J.J. MASSA

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 2, 2009

  Mr. MASSA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Robert Fay Rockwell 
Jr. Bob Rockwell was born November 8th, 1911 in Bradford, PA. He 
attended Whittier College in California where he became friends with 
fellow

[[Page E857]]

student, Richard M. Nixon. He moved to Corning, NY in 1933 to run the 
local department store (The Rockwell Company) owned by his grandfather. 
Soon after, he departed to serve in the 70tn Construction Battalion 
(the Seabees) in World War II. He was stationed in North Africa and 
Oakland, CA.
  Upon his return to Corning, he became close friends with Frederick 
Carder, founder of world-famous Steuben Glass. Later he amassed the 
world's largest collection of Frederick Carder Steuben Glass. His 
liking of aesthetics wasn't limited to glass art; Bob started 
collecting Western Art including Remingtons and Russells in the early 
1960's for display in his department store. He donated most of these 
two collections to what was then called The Rockwell Museum. This 
museum got its first home in 1976 in an old hotel in downtown Corning. 
During this time, he became president of both the Corning Chamber of 
Commerce and the Corning Rotary Club. In 1983 the Rockwell Museum of 
Western Art opened in Corning's refurbished old city hall building and 
has been popular with the great numbers of tourists who visit the area. 
The multimillion dollar value of Bob's donated art and glass is a 
testament to his generosity, but his legacy is further enhanced by his 
compassion and help to his fellow man.

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