[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 169 (Monday, November 16, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2770-E2771]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         HONORING PHILLIP MALIK

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. GEORGE RADANOVICH

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, November 16, 2009

  Mr. RADANOVICH. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of 
Phillip Malik. Mr. Malik passed away on October 8, 2009, at the age of 
94. His life was remembered by friends and family on Tuesday, October 
13, 2009.
  Phillip Malik was born January 1, 1915, in a region of Iran known as 
Urmia, in the small village of Gengachi. His father was a leader in the 
village, which was being pursued by marauders with intentions of 
persecuting all villagers based on their Christian beliefs. They would 
eventually end their journey in Habbaniya near Baghdad, Iraq. As a 
young man he survived the Assyrian Genocide and was a manager of the 
British Officers Club in Baghdad. Mr. Malik set his eyes on the United 
States, and in 1953 he settled in Chicago, Illinois. Five months later 
his wife, Maria, and their five children joined him in the United 
States. They did not like the cold of Chicago, and with a short visit 
to San Francisco, California, they decided to head west.

[[Page E2771]]

  When he first moved to California's Central Valley, Mr. Malik worked 
as a janitor. In 1954, Mr. Malik purchased a 20-acre almond ranch in 
Keyes, California and later moved to a 40-acre almond and walnut ranch 
in Ceres. In the late 1950's he began a job selling Airstream trailers. 
Many years later he started his own mobile-home dealership and 
eventually branched out into real-estate development and farming. 
Today, several projects in the greater Modesto area are due to Mr. 
Malik's work.
  Mr. Malik worked 7 days a week; never wanting to rely on others to 
take care of his family. He believed in helping others, and sponsored 
67 extended family members, and assisted about 400 people in 
immigrating to the United States.
  Mr. Malik was preceded in death by two children; Gina Marie and Don, 
as well as his wife of 65 years, Maria. He is survived by two 
daughters, Diane Pedota and Linda Glynn; three sons, Ron Malik, Bob 
Malik and Philip Malik Jr.; eight grandchildren and seven great-
grandchildren.
  Madam Speaker, I rise today to posthumously honor Phillip Malik. I 
invite my colleagues to join me in honoring his life and wishing the 
best for his family.

                          ____________________