[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 23 (Wednesday, February 13, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Page S701]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS

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                        REMEMBERING JOHN QUIMBY

 Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, I would like to recognize and 
honor the incredible life of John Quimby, an inspirational leader that 
guided and touched the lives of so many.
  John Quimby was born on February 12, 1935, in Prescott, AZ, to 
parents Henrietta and Merle Quimby. The family later moved to 
California and resided in Banning and Riverside. Mr. Quimby was hired 
as a radio announcer for a brief period of time before being elected to 
the San Bernardino City Council in 1957. He was the youngest person to 
ever serve on that body.
  In 1962, John Quimby was elected to the California State Assembly, 
representing parts of Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Mr. Quimby 
became the first paraplegic to serve in the California Legislature. He 
contracted polio at a young age and as a result spent the majority of 
his life in a wheelchair. Mr. Quimby did not allow his limited mobility 
to prevent him from pursuing his dreams and fighting fervently for the 
residents of California.
  Over the course of his 12 years in the Assembly, John Quimby helped 
pass numerous laws. Most famously, he drafted the Quimby Act in 1965, 
which allowed cities to require developers to donate land for 
recreational use. As a result of this piece of legislation, hundreds of 
parks now exist in California that might otherwise have not.
  Apart from being a dedicated assemblyman, John Quimby was also a 
beloved figure in California politics who thrived on personal and 
community interaction. He had the ability to make everyone feel special 
and cared for.
  Please join me in expressing the sympathies of this body to John 
Quimby's brother Merle, daughter Kimberly, son John Jr., stepdaughters 
Mary and Virginia George, stepson Kenny, his seven grandchildren, and 
his seven great-grandchildren. On this day, we celebrate him, his life, 
and his exemplary contributions to California and the Nation.

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