[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 21 (Thursday, February 11, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Page S562]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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   REMEMBERING CLU COTTER, KEVIN O'CONNOR, TOM STOLBERG, AND DENNIS 
                                DONOVAN

 Mrs. BOXER. Mr. President, I ask my colleagues to join me in 
honoring the memory of Clu Cotter, Kevin O'Conner, Tom Stolberg and 
Dennis Donovan. Clu Cotter, Kevin O'Connor, and Tom Stolberg, employees 
of the California Department of Fish and Game, and Dennis Donovan, a 
helicopter pilot, tragically lost their lives on January 5 as a result 
of a helicopter crash that occurred during an aerial deer survey in 
eastern Madera County.
  Mr. Clu Cotter was the California Department of Fish and Game 
associate wildlife biologist stationed in Fresno. He studied the North 
Kings and San Joaquin deer herd populations, and rare carnivores in the 
high Sierra. He was often called on to hike or ski into remote rugged 
areas for his work. He was admired by his colleagues for his positive 
attitude and devotion to his family, as well as his humor and 
endurance. In his spare time, he was an avid outdoorsman with a keen 
sense of adventure and a deep love for nature. In 1985, he used his 
outdoor survival expertise to successfully rescue a group of hikers who 
were caught in a lightning storm in Yosemite National Park. A devotee 
of cyclocross, a form of bicycle racing that combines elements of cross 
country cycling and mountain biking, Mr. Cotter was renowned as one of 
the most accomplished mountain and distance bicyclists in Central 
California. Mr. Cotter is survived by his wife Marni Cotter and two 
sons Ren and Jamie. He was 48 years old.
  Mr. Kevin O'Connor was a Supervising Biologist in the California 
Department of Fish and Game region 4 office. After graduating from the 
University of California at Davis in 1993, he worked for the U.S. 
Forest Service in central and northern California. He later joined the 
Department of Fish and Game and was promoted to senior wildlife 
biologist in 2005, a position in which he oversaw wildlife management 
in nine counties. He was a dedicated scientist who did extensive work 
on the ecological reserves of the San Joaquin Valley and with protected 
and game species in the southern Sierra Nevada range. He sought to 
elevate the quality of scientific information used for wildlife 
management and other activities, such as timber harvest. His expertise 
and leadership qualities earned him the respect of his colleagues. Mr. 
O'Connor is survived by his wife Keri; daughters Kayleigh, Michelle, 
McKenna; and son Aidan. He was 40 years old.
  Mr. Tom Stolberg joined the Department of Fish and Game in 2004 as a 
scientific aide in the wildlife management office in Fresno. Tom was 
the first person most people talked to when contacting Wildlife 
Management, and soon became expert in providing the public sound 
information on hunting, and wildlife in general. Tom also assisted with 
wildlife habitat projects, capturing deer for telemetry studies, and 
managing special public hunts. A man of many talents and interests, 
ranging across hunting, medieval reenactments, metalworking, gourmet 
cooking, and more, he was described by his mother as a walking 
encyclopedia who could speak with authority on everything from sewing 
to World War II history. An Eagle Scout, he remained active in the Boy 
Scouts by leading young people on trips through Yosemite National Park. 
He will be fondly remembered for his professionalism, intellect, and 
his warm and gregarious personality. Mr. Stolberg is survived by his 
parents, brother, and sister. He was 31 years old.
  Mr. Dennis Donovan, a Navy veteran, was an experienced pilot who had 
been flying since 1964. He served three combat tours in Vietnam and 
worked as a naval flight instructor in Florida, and for the USGS and 
Mercy Air. He worked for Landalls Aviation for almost 30 years and had 
flown for State and Federal agencies, including the California 
Department of Fish and Game for survey flights. Mr. Donovan is survived 
by his wife Arlene; two sons Matthew and Douglas; and five 
grandchildren. He was 70 years old.
  I offer my heartfelt condolences to the families, friends, and 
colleagues of Clu Cotter, Kevin O'Connor, Tom Stolberg and Dennis 
Donovan. They valiantly sacrificed their lives in the pursuit of 
science, conservation and public service. Their exemplary service 
epitomizes the commitment and courage that Department of Fish and Game 
employees exhibit on a daily basis, often with little or no fanfare, in 
their effort to enhance the public enjoyment of California's abundant 
and diverse native wildlife, fish and plant species and their natural 
communities. Their goodness, dedication and accomplishments are 
appreciated and will not be forgotten.
  We shall always be grateful for the sacrifice that Clu Cotter, Kevin 
O'Connor, Tom Stolberg and Dennis Donovan made in giving their lives to 
help make California a better place. They will be missed.

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