[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 15 (Friday, February 1, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E81]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO LEROY ORNELLAS

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JEFF DENHAM

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, February 1, 2013

  Mr. DENHAM. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge and honor San 
Joaquin County Supervisor Leroy Ornellas on his retirement from the San 
Joaquin County Board of Supervisors and to thank him for his dedicated, 
life-long spirit of community service.
  Alfred L. ``Leroy'' Ornellas was born in Tracy, California, on April 
3, 1944. The Ornellas Family has been dairy farmers in the Tracy area 
since the 1930s.
  A third generation farmer and dairyman, Ornellas served for several 
years as a member of the San Joaquin County Agricultural Advisory Board 
and was selected by his peers to serve as Chair for five of those 
years. In addition, he served as the Board of Supervisor's 
representative to the Ag Advisory Board.
  Leroy was a founding member of the San Joaquin County Citizens Land 
Alliance--an organization that advocates for the rights of private 
property owners. He has been active in land use issues as a member of 
the first ``Tracy Tomorrow'' task force and has provided testimony to 
various legislative bodies engaged in the development of land use plans 
and agricultural issues.
  In recognizing his many contributions to the community and to 
agriculture, the City of Tracy and the Tracy Chamber of Commerce 
honored Leroy as ``Agriculturist of the Year'' in 1995. Also, in 2010, 
the Ornellas Dairy was recognized by Dairy Farmers of America, Inc. as 
part of the Western Area Members of Distinction. This program 
recognizes members who excel in their operations, in their communities, 
and in the industry.
  Leroy was elected to the Board of Supervisors for District 5 in 
November of 2002, where he served as Chair for the 2004 and 2009 
sessions. At the time of Leroy's election, the Fifth Supervisorial 
District included the cities of Escalon, Tracy, Ripon, Mountain House, 
half of Manteca, and a portion of Lathrop. Escalon and Ripon were later 
removed from District 5 after multiple redistricting cycles.
  In 2012, term limits ended Leroy's tenth year of public service on 
the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors; but, as Leroy's community 
service did not begin with his election to the Board of Supervisors, it 
will not end there either. He currently sits on several boards and 
commissions affecting the San Joaquin Valley, but he is most proud of 
those in which he must collaborate with his peers from other cities and 
counties. Some of such organizations include the Board of Directors for 
the Sutter/Tracy Community Hospital, the California Partnership for the 
San Joaquin Valley, the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control 
District (Chair, 2008), the San Joaquin Council of Governments, and the 
Regional Airport Planning Committee among several others.
  Leroy is a member of the Tracy/Ripon/Manteca Chambers of Commerce, 
Tracy Noon Rotary, Young Men's Institute, National Rifle Association, 
and the San Joaquin Farm Bureau. In addition to his business and public 
service interests, Leroy is a motorsports enthusiast and an admirer of 
glass and paint art. He enjoys attending sports venues, traveling, and 
American History.
  Leroy and his wife, the former Jennie Deaderick, were married in 
1963. They have three sons--Kevin, Mark, and Mathew--all of whom are 
married and assist in managing the family farming operation. The 
Ornellases have four grandchildren. Leroy and Jennie, their three sons, 
and four grandchildren will all have been educated in San Joaquin 
County public schools. Leroy and his sons attended Modesto Junior 
College, where the two eldest played football. His eldest granddaughter 
attended San Joaquin Delta College and graduated from San Jose State in 
2011. All of the Ornellas children and grandchildren have been or are 
members of 4-H.
  Mr. Speaker, please join me in honoring San Joaquin County Supervisor 
Leroy Ornellas on his retirement and in thanking him for his exemplary 
leadership and service to the community.