[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 170 (Tuesday, November 17, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2781]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             IN HONOR OF JOHN TIMOTHY ``JACK'' MULHALL, SR.

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. DENNIS J. KUCINICH

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 17, 2009

  Mr. KUCINICH. Madam Speaker, I rise today in honor of John Timothy 
``Jack'' Mulhall, Sr., for his lifelong dedication to the service of 
others, and especially for his commitment to helping tens of thousands 
of people build lives based on a platform of hope, strength and 
sobriety.
  Mr. Mulhall grew up in Cleveland and graduated from Holy Name High 
School. He joined the Army, and in July, 1944 at a USO dance in 
Natchez, Mississippi, he met the love of his life, Estelle Jones. They 
married three months later on October 28th, 1944 at St. Mary Basilica 
Church in Natchez. He was later deployed overseas, surviving battles in 
both Germany and France, and suffering severe frostbite while there. 
Before his honorable discharge in 1946, he achieved the rank of Master 
Sergeant and was awarded several commendations, including the 
Presidential Citation, the Good Conduct Medal, and the Overseas Service 
Medal. He returned to Cleveland and began building a new life with his 
wife. He played semi-professional baseball during his twenties, worked 
at Republic Steel and Standard Oil, then General Tire and Rubber. 
Together, he and Estelle raised eleven children. Married for nearly 65 
years, the joy of their lives are their eleven grown children, 31 
grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.
  Mr. Mulhall discovered what would become his life's work in 1972, 
when he began reaching out to help individuals, young and old, break 
free from the pain of alcohol and chemical addiction. For nearly forty 
years, he has remained steadfast in his focus. From 1972 to 1991, Mr. 
Mulhall served as the director of Stella Maris Detox Hospital. He later 
co-founded the Freedom House, Inc., a sober living facility--
established to fill the critical need to provide a sober environment 
and treatment for any individual, regardless of their ability to pay. 
He left Freedom House in 1998 to co-establish the Ed Keating Center, 
Inc., an organization with the same mission and the dedication to 
providing service as Freedom House. The Ed Keating Center relied 
entirely on private donations from individuals and corporations, 
receiving no public assistance. The Center continues to serve the 
Cleveland community restoring lives, re-connecting families, and giving 
people, especially those without health insurance or those unable to 
afford treatment, the tools to live sober, healthy, happy and 
productive lives. Over the years, Mr. Mulhall positively impacted the 
lives of more than 60,000 women and men.
  Madam Speaker and Colleagues, please join me in honor of John Timothy 
``Jack'' Mulhall Sr., for his efforts, vision and work creating havens 
of strength, comfort, hope and healing. Because of Mr. Mulhall's 
compassion and unwavering focus, institutions like the Ed Keating 
Center exist as a lifeline, providing vulnerable citizens the treatment 
they need to end the devastating cycle of addiction. These people 
become free to live happy, productive, drug and alcohol free lives, 
which in turn uplifts and strengthens our entire community.

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