[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 152 (Friday, November 19, 2010)]
[Senate]
[Page S8115]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       REMEMBERING MRS. JAN CRASE

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I rise today to honor the life and 
legacy of Mrs. Jan Crase, who passed away on September 28, 2010, in 
Lexington, KY. As a resident of Somerset, KY, Jan was a prime example 
of a woman who gave back to her community. She valued education, faith 
and family, and was one of the hardest workers I have ever had the 
privilege of knowing. She attended Berea College for 3 years, and then 
transferred to the University of Louisville where she graduated with a 
degree in home economics. Even after leaving Berea College, she stayed 
connected to the college community throughout the years, serving on the 
Berea College Board of Trustees and the College President's Club. Jan 
was a caring friend who wanted college students to have the same 
positive experience she did in higher education. She helped raise 
millions of dollars for student scholarships, study-abroad programs, 
and computer funding at Berea College. As a member of Somerset's First 
Presbyterian Church, she saw a need to educate children not yet old 
enough to attend grade school, so she helped start the first preschool 
in Pulaski County in 1970. Since then, many families have benefited not 
only from the preschool but also from the youth groups and 4-H programs 
that Jan helped establish.
  Starting youth programs and bringing the community together to raise 
money for a great cause were not the only things Jan excelled in; she 
was a determined entrepreneur and businesswoman. She had her hand in a 
variety of different careers, as a real-estate broker, an insurance 
agency owner, a home agent for Kentucky 4-H programs, as well as a 
dietician at Baptist Hospital in Louisville. Jan inspired everyone she 
came into contact with because of her positive outlook and 
determination in everything that she did. She was truly an upstanding 
woman, who spent much of her life giving her time and talents to better 
her community and our Commonwealth. There is no doubt the Commonwealth 
is poorer for her loss. My thoughts go out to her husband, James; her 
son, Karl' her two daughters Kim and Katherine; and her four 
grandchildren. The Commonwealth Journal recently published an article 
about Jan and the legacy she left behind. I ask unanimous consent that 
the full article be printed in the Record.
  There being no objection the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record as follows:

       Somerset.--Jan Crase, 72, of Somerset, Ky., passed away 
     Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2010 in Lexington, Ky.
       She was born in Summer Shade, Ky., on July 11, 1938, 
     daughter of the late Seymore and Ruby Smith Hunley. She was a 
     member of Somerset First Presbyterian Church. She attended 
     Berea College and graduated from University of Louisville 
     with a degree in Home Economics with emphasis in Dietetics.
       Jan was the first female in Kentucky to pass Series I 
     examination for the Member of Appraisal Institute 
     designation. She became a licensed Real Estate Broker in 
     Kentucky where she did appraisals and feasibility studies in 
     15 Kentucky counties. She owned and operated a Somerset 
     insurance agency successfully for ten years.
       She was a home agent with the University of Kentucky 
     Extension Service where she worked in Louisville and 
     Jefferson County with both 4-H and homemaker programs. She 
     developed the first 4-H clubs in inner city schools in the 
     nation. She was a chief therapeutic dietitian at Baptist 
     Hospital in Louisville and instructor of dietetics and 
     nutrition at Louisville Baptist School of Nursing.
       She was previously a member with Berea College Board of 
     Trustees, Berea College President's Club, Founder's Club, 
     Kentucky Medical Association Education Committee as a non-
     physician member, former president of Kentucky Medical 
     Association Alliance Board of Directors, chairman of Kentucky 
     Music Hall of Fame and Museum Advisory Board member, where 
     she helped establish the museum, 5th District Steering 
     Committee and also a member of local UNITE organization, 
     lifetime member and former president of Lake Cumberland 
     Performing Arts Advisory Board, former president of Pulaski 
     County Medical Alliance, first president of Pulaski County 
     Lincoln Club and ember of Pulaski Republican Women's club.
       Her prior civic activities include chairman of Berea 
     College President's Council, Berea College Alumni Co-chairman 
     for Alumni fundraising, Kentucky Medical Association 
     Legislative Committee as a non-physician member, Kentucky GED 
     Foundation chairman, Kentucky Foundation for Adult Education 
     chairman, Southern Medical Association Auxiliary Medical 
     Heritage Councilor for Kentucky, Master Musician Festival 
     Board of Directors member, Pulaski County Extension Service 
     Advisory Council member, Somerset/Pulaski County Economic 
     Development Board member, Somerset/Pulaski County Convention 
     and Visitor's Bureau Board chairman, Somerset Community 
     College Development Board member, started the first preschool 
     in Pulaski County at St. Patrick's Episcopal Church in 1970, 
     Somerset Cooperative Preschool Board of Directors member for 
     many years, Sunday School teacher at Somerset First 
     Presbyterian Church for 12 years, Co-director of Somerset 
     first Presbyterian Church youth group for many years, 
     Somerset First Presbyterian Church Elder, United Way Board of 
     Directors and Appropriations Committee chairman and PTA board 
     member.
       Special award Jan received were Kentucky Medical 
     Association 2010 Layperson of the Year, 2005 Special 
     Appreciation Award from Kentucky Medical Association, 
     Kentucky Commission of Women, an award for endeavors to 
     promote, educate and advise women of the Commonwealth and 
     Somerset Business and Profession Women's Club, ``Woman of 
     Achievement in Business.''
       She is survived by her husband, James D. Crase, M.D. of 
     Somerset; one son, Karl (and Melissa) Crase of Richmond, Ky.; 
     two daughters, Kim (and Joe) Claytor of Berea, Ky., and 
     Katherine Crase of Tampa, Fla.; one brother, Jerry Hunley of 
     Louisville, Ky.; and four grandchildren, Laura and Neil 
     Claytor and Jonathon and Amelia Crase.
       Visitation will be after 8 a.m. today at Somerset First 
     Presbyterian Church.
       A funeral service will be held at 1 p.m. today, Oct. 1, at 
     Somerset First Presbyterian Church with Rev. Allen Brimer 
     officiating.
       Burial will be in Lakeside Memorial Gardens.
       Expressions of sympathy may be made to the Somerset First 
     Presbyterian Church Capital Fund or Berea College.
       Pulaski Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.

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