[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 56 (Thursday, April 2, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E873]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    IN HONOR OF TEMPIE LYNN ARMSTRONG PATRIOT AND VETERANS' ADVOCATE

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JOE SESTAK

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 2, 2009

  Mr. SESTAK. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor an exceptional 
American, Ms. Tempie Lynn Armstrong, who suddenly passed from us on 
January 27, 2009.
  Born February 22, 1967 to Paul and Sara Jane Armstrong as their 
youngest of 5 children, she was raised with her sisters Patricia, and 
Jeanie and brothers David and Paul in Wagontown, Pa. Tempie and her 
siblings were very close and loved each other dearly. Her relationship 
with Jeanie was the closest of all. There were so inseparable, they 
were frequently considered to be twins. Each was always there for the 
other through good times and bad. Their lives traveled parallel paths 
and their love for one another is eternal.
  Tempie also had great affection for, and took enormous pride in, her 
nephews and nieces, Bryan, Paul Jr, Michael, Amanda and Emily. Her 
relationship with each was loving and unique. However, as Tempie, 
Jeanie, Donald and Bryan all shared the same home she had a special 
relationship with Bryan and was always certain that he would be grow to 
become a truly great man.
  A 1985 graduate of Coatesville Area High School, Tempie was a very 
good student. While in high school, she entered into a work study 
program at Coatesville Veterans Administration Medical Center (VAMC). 
Immediately, she knew that she wanted a career in the Veterans 
Administration helping those extraordinary men and women in their time 
of need. She fulfilled that ambition and in twenty-five years of 
honorable service with our government, she proudly served thousands of 
hospitalized veterans and their families. Her colleagues would often 
hear Tempie cheering up Veterans by joking with them about her cats 
``Phil and Lil'', and her dogs ``Bear, Maggie, and Rupert''. Her love 
of animals was just behind that of her family `her Vets'.
  For the past seventeen years, she served as the Administrative 
Support Assistant for the Coatesville VAMC Community and Congressional 
Affairs office. In that capacity she worked very closely with her 
supervisor and true friend, Andy Pahountis. The two of them fought 
tirelessly to meet the daily needs of our nation's Veterans. In 
addition to their considerable responsibilities at the medical center 
they also created a superior outreach program to make the public aware 
of the worthy mission and noble patients of Coatesville VAMC. The love 
and respect they had for each other was unsurpassed. Tempie was also a 
close friend to Andy's wife, Carole and considered part of the family 
by Andy's children Leah and Gregory. Together they spent countless 
hours at the beach along with Andy's Labrador retrievers Maddie and 
Lexy. Their friendship will never be forgotten and always treasured.
  For the past eight years she was the hub of the Coatesville VAMC 
community. Her relationships with her friends and co-workers, Jack, 
John, Jeff, Judi, Wayne, and many others were founded on mutual respect 
and affection. She worked very closely with Congressional Offices in 
Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware as well as dozens of Veteran 
Service Organizations. Everyone who worked with Tempie knew they could 
depend on her.
  Madam Speaker, tragically and unexpectedly, Tempie Lynn Armstrong 
died recently during surgery for a cardiac condition. When she passed 
there was great sorrow throughout the proud Coatesville VAMC and among 
thousands of patients past and present. There, life without Tempie will 
never be the same. I ask that this chamber pause and join Veterans and 
their families everywhere in acknowledging the many contributions made 
by Tempie Armstrong to her family and friends, our Veterans and our 
nation. We have lost a great American.

                          ____________________