[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 69 (Tuesday, May 15, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E801]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      THE PASSING OF MURIEL WATSON

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. BRIAN P. BILBRAY

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 15, 2012

  Mr. BILBRAY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor one of San Diego's 
great citizens Muriel Watson. Muriel passed on May 1, 2012 after a 
lengthy battle with cancer.
  I had the pleasure of knowing Muriel when I was Mayor of Imperial 
Beach. I would also talk with her when I would ride my horses along the 
border. She was tenacious, dedicated and motivated to all of her causes 
and her attitude and intellect allowed her to accomplish anything she 
set her mind to.
  Muriel was born in Newton Massachusetts on October 23, 1930 as the 
only child of William and Cynthia Bianchi. She grew up as a teenager in 
San Diego, attended San Diego High School, and later earned her 
teaching degree at San Diego State College. She was a patron of the 
arts and would dance and act at the Old Globe theatre in San Diego from 
time to time.
  After meeting her husband George Watson in 1953, a Border Patrol 
agent, Muriel began her work with the U.S. Border Patrol. She became 
involved with the Border Patrol Union as a Public Information Officer 
and testified before Congress regarding issues and concerns of the 
Border Patrol.
  In addition to her involvement with the Border Patrol, Muriel created 
an initiative called ``Light Up the Border'' in 1989. The goal of the 
group was to shine car lights on the border in order to cut down on 
border violence. The group met monthly starting on November 4, 1989. At 
the first meeting, 23 cars were present and over the seven months of 
the program the group grew to 2000 cars in June of 1990.
  Over the course of the program, Muriel was able to enlist the help of 
Congressman Duncan Hunter to begin construction on what today 
represents three layers of border fence, more agents, and lights on the 
border.
  Muriel will be missed by those of us who knew her. Her memory will 
live on in the lives of her children and grandchildren, in the hearts 
and minds of the Border Patrol agents, and through the people of the 
causes she served.

                          ____________________