[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 2 (Friday, January 4, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E14]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      IN MEMORY OF MURRAY GALINSON

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. SUSAN A. DAVIS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, January 4, 2013

  Mrs. DAVIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise with great sorrow to 
mourn the passing of one of San Diego's greatest leaders and 
humanitarians, Murray Galinson.
   Every city should have a Murray Galinson. On paper, Murray's 
impressive biography tells of a bank CEO and President, the head of a 
local synagogue, a former assistant U.S. attorney, a member of the 
board of trustees for California State University and a philanthropist 
playing a pivotal role in developing so many local charities.
   But in life, Murray was so much more than that. Murray was San 
Diego's go to person. When you wanted to know anything you went to 
Murray. When you wanted to vent frustration, you went to Murray. When 
you wanted someone to talk to, you went to Murray.
   He was a very, very special person at the center of everything. For 
someone so prominent Murray was not intimidating. He was open to me 
almost 40 years ago at the beginning of my career as he has been to so 
many other people starting careers in public service. He has mentored 
countless people who have gone to be great successes in the San Diego 
community.
   Perhaps most striking was Murray's deep care for the city of San 
Diego and how translated that into political and charitable action. 
Murray was not involved in politics to be a power broker or to push an 
ambitious partisan agenda. Murray wanted to support whoever he thought 
would make the city stronger for the long haul. He really cared who was 
in office and supported people from the very beginning. He was a 
leading Democrat but he crossed the aisle and supported Republicans 
when he thought that was the right thing to do.
   Murray was such a great listener. And he was supportive and 
insightful. And he was funny. He was warm and witty and never shy about 
telling it like it is. I never had a conversation with Murray that I 
didn't walk away from feeling generally better.
   Originally from Minnesota, Murray never lost his Midwestern 
sensibility. We're so fortunate in San Diego that Murray left the 
Minnesota snow behind him and brightened the lives of so many people in 
our city.

                          ____________________