[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 160 (Monday, October 24, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1915]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                HONORING THE HONORABLE JUDGE RUSTY LADD

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. RANDY NEUGEBAUER

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, October 24, 2011

  Mr. NEUGEBAUER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and remember the 
Honorable Judge Rusty Ladd, a great man, a tireless public servant, and 
an advocate for the homeless. Larry Brown ``Rusty'' Ladd passed away 
Friday, September 30, 2011, and he is missed by all of us who knew him. 
I was privileged to know Judge Ladd, and I know the legacy he leaves 
behind will not be soon forgotten by his family, friends or community.
  Rusty was born in Breckenridge, Texas on August 8, 1952, as the 
oldest son of a cotton ginner. He graduated from Lubbock Christian 
College in 1975 with a degree in Biblical Studies and joined the police 
force in 1977. In 1988, he graduated from Texas Tech Law School and 
started his own practice as a defense attorney in Dallas. He then moved 
back to West Texas as a prosecutor in Amarillo and Plainview. In 1996 
he continued his practice in Lubbock as Assistant and then Deputy 
District Attorney at the Lubbock County District Attorney's Office.
  In 1999, Rusty assumed the judge's bench of the Lubbock County Court-
at-Law No. 1. When taking the bench, he said, ``I'm a new judge, and in 
taking the bench, I'm going to be able to fulfill my oath to defend the 
laws of the state in an absolutely fair and impartial way.'' He was 
true to his word, serving fairly and impartially, compassionate when 
possible and firm when necessary.
  Rusty showed kindness not only in the courtroom, but also on the 
streets of Lubbock. He opened his heart to the homeless in the Lubbock 
community, serving on the homelessness committee of the Lubbock City 
Council since 2010 and volunteering through Carpenter's Church. Rusty 
dedicated his time and effort to serving the poor and marginalized. 
``The thing a homeless person misses the most is not food or shelter,'' 
Ladd said in a 2010 interview, ``it's a genuine relationship with 
somebody that's got a stable life going on.'' His Christ-like attitude 
toward the poor is inspiring, and I hope and pray we can continue the 
selfless acts that he carried out.
  Mr. Speaker, please join me in extending my sincere thanks to Judge 
Rusty Ladd, for leaving this world a better place than he found it. I 
am truly honored to recognize his accomplishments. He will certainly be 
missed, but he will never be forgotten by those who knew him and were 
touched by his life.

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