[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 69 (Thursday, May 16, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E686-E687]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 COMMEMORATING THE LIFE OF MAYO STUNTZ

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. GERALD E. CONNOLLY

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 16, 2013

  Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to commemorate the extraordinary 
life of one of Fairfax County's more iconic figures, Mayo Sturdevant 
Stuntz, who passed away May 9, at the age of 97. Mr. Stuntz not only 
witnessed the historical events that shaped our community, but he and 
his family also dedicated themselves to documenting, sharing, and 
preserving that history for future generations.
   A native of Vienna, Va., Mr. Stuntz spent his early years serving 
his country. After graduating from Cornell University, he served with 
the U.S. Army for five years during World War II, where he was a member 
of the renowned Alamo Scouts reconnaissance unit based in the South 
Pacific. He went on to serve 25 years with the Central Intelligence 
Agency. Those accomplishments alone merit our great praise and thanks, 
but it was what Mr. Stuntz did during his retirement that will leave a 
lasting imprint on our community.
   Mr. Stuntz inherited from his parents an interest in history that 
grew into a hobby and ultimately became his true passion. His family is 
steeped in Fairfax County and our nation's history. He was a descendent 
of a Hessian soldier who came to the colonies during the Revolutionary 
War to fight for the British but wound up switching sides once he 
learned the impetus for the war. Mr. Stuntz also was a descendent of 
the Fitzhugh family, which traces its roots in America to the early 
1600s. The family owned a large tract of what later became Fairfax 
County. At one point, the Fitzhughs were close family friends of George 
and Martha Washington, who had settled in eastern Fairfax, and another 
Fitzhugh descendant married Robert E. Lee.
   Concerned with the disappearing character along the main street in 
Vienna that he recalled from his youth, Mr. Stuntz set out in the 1960s 
to photograph every house on Route 123 between Tysons Corner and 
Oakton. His wife, Connie, was soon pulled into the project, which 
eventually led the publishing of three books: ``This Was Vienna,'' 
``This Was Tysons Corner,'' and ``This Was Virginia.'' It was also 
during the mid-1960s that Mr. Stuntz was recruited to join the Fairfax 
Landmarks Preservation Committee, which would serve as a precursor to 
the Fairfax History Commission. In a 2005 oral history interview, he 
said his initial goal was to create a book of historical

[[Page E687]]

buildings and homes similar to one he had seen done in neighboring 
Arlington County. ``I didn't realize Arlington is about one-tenth the 
size of Fairfax County, and I bit off a great deal to chew . . . and 
I'm still chewing.''
   All told, Mr. Stuntz spent 47 years on the Commission, chronicling 
and preserving our community's rich history and culture. In addition to 
the books he and his wife published, he regularly lectured in local 
classrooms and community centers. He readily acknowledged that he was 
not a trained historian, but his local knowledge went back a piece, and 
he understood the value in connecting the past with our present. It was 
those connections that continued to drive him, even in his later years, 
when he lost his sight.
   I had the great pleasure of collaborating with Mr. Stuntz on Civil 
War preservation and a number of historic marker dedications during my 
tenure on the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors. You could not help 
but get carried along by his vast knowledge and passion for our local 
history. I was able to spend time with Mr. Stuntz earlier this spring 
when we celebrated the Freeman Store, a local Civil War landmark, being 
added to the National Register of Historic Places. It was particularly 
poignant for him as he was the first chairman of the Freeman House ad 
hoc Historical Commission. His daughter, Anne, is now president of the 
Commission's successor, Historic Vienna. As we reflected on this latest 
addition to his historic tally, he pulled me aside to ask me if I had 
purchased my plot at Flint Hill Cemetery. It is believed to be the 
oldest cemetery in Fairfax County, and Mr. Stuntz had served as 
president of the cemetery association for 50 years. He had long 
encouraged me to get a plot before they were all gone, and even now was 
still trying to close the deal. He was truly a character.
   Mr. Stuntz is survived by his wife of 66 years, Connie, their three 
children, eight grandchildren, and one great grandchild.
   Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me and in commemorating the 
remarkable life of Mayo Stuntz for his tremendous service to our 
country and community and in extending our deepest sympathies to his 
family. His strong connection and commitment to our community became a 
lifelong passion that has preserved milestones in our history for 
future generations and inspired others to pick up where he left off. He 
also was my friend, and I shall miss his smile and warm presence 
terribly.

                          ____________________