[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 111 (Tuesday, July 30, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Page S6066]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  REMEMBERING VERNON AND MARIE NELSON

 Mr. MORAN. Mr. President, there are many things I admire about 
folks from my home State of Kansas but especially how Kansans carry on 
the traditions of previous generations. No tradition runs deeper in 
Kansas than the tradition of working on a family farm.
  Across our Nation, 98 percent of our country's 2 million farms are 
family owned. For many Kansas children, growing up on a farm is a way 
of life. By working alongside their parents, grandparents, and 
neighbors, young people learn important life skills and values like 
hard work, personal responsibility, and perseverance.
  Gary Nelson of Falun, KS learned many of these life skills on the 
farm by working alongside his parents, Vernon and Marie Nelson. The 
Nelson family farm has been in his family for 144 years. It was 
originally homesteaded by Gary's great-grandfather Lars Frederick 
Nelson, in 1869. Nineteen years ago, Gary's father Vernon passed away, 
leaving the management of the farm in his hands. In the years that 
followed, Gary took over the farm operations with the help of his 
mother. But just a few weeks ago, Marie passed away. The community of 
Falun lost two special people when Vernon and Marie passed away.
  Both of Gary's parents came from a strong Swedish heritage and were 
well known in the small rural community of Falun in Saline County. They 
were married in 1952 and spent the next 42 years together, raising 
their son, managing the farm, and investing in the local community. A 
strong work ethic and an abiding care for others were defining 
attributes of both Vernon and Marie. They were also both skilled 
craftsmen--Vernon once made a walnut box that contained a bronze 
sculpture for President Ronald Reagan, and Marie had a love for 
quilting and once worked on a special quilt that was given to Nancy 
Reagan.
  Vernon and Marie were also very proud of their son and came to visit 
Gary while he was working as an intern for former Senator Bob Dole in 
the summer of 1983. One of their special memories was enjoying lunch 
together in the Senate dining room at the invitation of Senator Dole.
  In small rural towns across Kansas, people work hard, take pride in 
their communities and care for one another. Vernon and Marie were two 
such people. Gary recently said this about his parents: ``They are part 
of the fabric that is our community now and that of the future.'' 
Individuals like Vernon and Marie also make up the fabric of our 
country, and their contributions have made our Nation what it is today. 
Vernon and Marie lived each day to its fullest, and their devotion to 
those around them stands as an inspiration to us all.
  I extend my heartfelt sympathies to Gary and the Nelson family and 
friends. I ask my colleagues and all Kansans to remember the Nelson 
family in your thoughts and prayers in the days ahead.

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