[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 160 (Tuesday, December 7, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2071]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         A TRIBUTE TO THE LIFE OF LAWRENCE ``LARRY'' G. HUEBNER

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                             HON. JIM COSTA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 7, 2010

  Mr. COSTA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Lawrence 
``Larry'' G. Huebner who passed away on November 28, 2010 at the age of 
79. Larry Huebner was an extraordinary man who lived each day to the 
fullest and whose contributions to the game of tennis as a player, 
teacher, and advocate are unmatched in the community. He is survived by 
his wife of 56 years Gretchen, daughter Karin, sons Jim and John, and 
five grandchildren.
  Larry Huebner graduated from Fresno High School in 1949 and went on 
to attend the University of California, Los Angeles, where he earned a 
Bachelor's Degree in Business. While attending UCLA, Larry won an NCAA 
doubles title in Men's Tennis and was captain of two Bruins National 
Championship teams. After graduating from UCLA, he joined the U.S. 
Navy, where he volunteered as a ship Chaplain and would later become a 
Lieutenant while stationed in Hawaii. During Larry's service in the 
Navy, he played in high-level exhibition tennis matches while 
developing friendships that would last a lifetime.
  After his service in the Navy, Larry returned to Fresno, California, 
where he joined his father, Jim Sr., to manage Huebner Sports. In 1963, 
he helped found the Fig Garden Swim & Racquet Club, continuing his 
passion for the sport of tennis and giving the community a welcoming 
place to enjoy the game. Larry's passion for tennis was passed on to 
his children as he won national senior parent/child doubles 
championships with all three of his children in 2003.
  In recognition of those momentous victories, Larry and his wife 
Gretchen were flown to the 2004 U.S. Open in Flushing Meadows, New 
York. It was at the 2004 U.S. Open that he was presented with a heavy, 
10-inch-high crystal Tiffany trophy which is still displayed with pride 
at the Huebners' home in Fresno. In 2007, Larry and his daughter Karin 
played together in what would be his final competitive tournament. 
Larry and Karin would win the Super Senior Father-Daughter grass court 
title at the Longwood Cricket Club in Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts.
  Larry's health took a turn for the worse in May 2010 when he was 
diagnosed with stomach cancer. Despite his diagnosis, he continued to 
give back to the game of tennis in his final days. Two weeks before 
Larry had made his final serve, he was giving lessons to a 10-year-old 
girl. It was Larry's love for the game of tennis that bonded his family 
together and will always remain his legacy.
  Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in remembering the life 
of this remarkable man as we offer our condolences to his family and 
celebrate his memory and service to our community and California.

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