[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 74 (Thursday, May 26, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E962]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         HONORING LEROY EDWARD HART OF NAPA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MIKE THOMPSON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 26, 2011

  Mr. THOMPSON of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in recognition 
of community member Lee Hart, for his outstanding work in Napa County, 
California.
  Mr. Hart was born in San Francisco in 1940 and moved to Yountville at 
the age of 3. He is the great-grandson of a Yountville pioneer, Mr. 
Mathias Van de Leur, who was a Napa County Supervisor and a mason who 
built the St. Helena Catholic Church, several stone bridges and the 
Manor House at Stagg's Leap Winery.
  Lee Hart has been on the Board of the Yountville Cemetery Association 
for 46 years and has been the President and proven leader since 1967. 
His love of Napa moved him to shift careers, from the banking world to 
serving as a police officer with the Napa Police Department, from where 
he retired after 26 years of service. Mr. Hart was recognized as 
``Police Officer of the Year;'' he also taught self-defense at the Napa 
Valley College, and was an instructor for the Napa Police Academy. 
After retiring from the police force, he was a Marshall for the Napa 
Sheriff's Department for another 10 years.
  Mr. Hart has been a lifelong member of Toastmasters, Ducks Unlimited, 
the California Waterfowl Association, and is the founding member of the 
George Yount Mountainmen organization. He has been known to participate 
in the Yountville Parade and dress as George Yount. Mr. Hart has been 
involved in martial arts since 1964, and is a 9th Degree Black Belt, 
having won several competitions with gold, silver and bronze medals.
  ``Anything done in moderation is boring,'' is one of Mr. Hart's 
favorite sayings and he can always be found sharing a good story and 
showcasing his duck decoy collection. Mr. Hart is fortunate to be 
surrounded by a large circle of loving family and life-long friends. He 
married Chrissy Hart in 1991. He has three children: Elizabeth, 
Victoria and Leroy-Mathias, and 10 grandchildren.
  Mr. Speaker, it is appropriate at this time that we acknowledge Leroy 
Edward Hart for his decades of devoted service to the Napa Valley 
community on this Memorial Day.

                          ____________________