[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 122 (Tuesday, September 17, 2013)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6510-S6511]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       REMEMBERING MARREEN CASPER

  Mr. HATCH. Mr. President. I am grateful for this opportunity today to 
pay tribute to a truly extraordinary woman--Marreen Casper. Sadly, 
Marreen passed away on September 14, 2013, while she was serving a 
mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with her 
husband Ron Casper in Tennessee.
  I had the wonderful opportunity of working with Marreen while she 
served on my staff for 13 years. She retired at the end of last year to 
pursue new opportunities in life, and to spend time with her family 
whom she greatly loved. Throughout her years of service in my Senate 
Office, she distinguished herself as someone who truly cared about our 
great State and its citizens. For many years she worked as my Southern 
Utah Field Director and became immersed in the many communities she 
served. She had a dogged determination and a great compassion for the 
citizens of southern Utah and had a ready smile and helping hand for 
all. She literally had friends in every corner of Utah through 
associations she has made and help she has rendered.
  There has been no assignment ever given to Marreen that she did not 
fulfill willingly and with enthusiasm. She was a world-class volunteer 
for schools,

[[Page S6511]]

campaigns, and other causes she believed in; dedicated Senate employee 
who fulfilled her duties in a professional, caring manner; faithful 
servant in her church; and loving wife and mother. Marreen was 
absolutely loyal and always approached challenges and obstacles with 
grit and determination.
  To know Marreen was to know one irrefutable truth--she truly loved 
her family. She was very proud of her children and grandchildren. 
Family photos adorned her office walls, and conversations with Marreen 
were always peppered with anecdotes and stories of events and 
accomplishments taking place within her family. She was very careful to 
always balance her work responsibilities with family time. In fact, 
most of her vacation days were spent traveling to visit and participate 
in important events in the lives of family members. I know she attended 
sports events, graduations, baptisms, mission farewells, and so many 
other milestones in her children and grandchildren's lives and loved to 
regale her peers and friends with memories from these experiences. 
Marreen loved her family with her whole heart and soul and believed 
wholly in the power and strength of family.
  Marreen also deeply loved the Gospel of Jesus Christ and had a strong 
and firm testimony of eternal life and in the teachings of our Savior. 
She served in many positions in the church and had a profound influence 
in the lives of those she worked with and through her beautiful 
example. Marreen and Ron had planned on serving a mission for the 
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for many years and 
carefully prepared for this opportunity to serve. She was thrilled to 
be called to Tennessee to spread the message of the Gospel and to help 
those in need. She was a true disciple of Jesus Christ and a loving 
example of missionary work going forward throughout the world. It is my 
firm hope that Ron and her family will find some peace and comfort 
knowing that Marreen died while in the service of her Heavenly Father 
whom she deeply loved.
  I am grateful I had the opportunity to work and share a friendship 
with Marreen Casper. Her life although not as long as many would have 
hoped for; was a life well-lived. She was a woman deeply admired and 
loved. Elaine and I extend our deepest sympathies to Ron and her five 
children and many grandchildren. May they find peace and comfort in the 
cherished memories they have shared with this noble woman.

                          ____________________