[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 136 (Friday, October 4, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1442]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   CELEBRATING PAT AND JERRY EPSTEIN

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. LUCILLE ROYBAL-ALLARD

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 4, 2013

  Ms. ROYBAL-ALLARD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate my good 
friends Pat and Jerry Epstein on the October 12 celebration marking 
both their wedding anniversary and Jerry's 90th birthday.
  Jerry was born on August 29, 1923, in New York, and this year he 
turned 90 years young. Pat and Jerry were married in her native home 
town of Atlanta, Georgia, in December 1948, and this year marks their 
65th year of marriage. The October celebration is halfway between 
Jerry's birthday on August 29 and their wedding anniversary on December 
26.
  Pat is an active sculptor. For many years she worked with alabaster, 
but her latest works are composed of paper mache. Her work is on 
display at St. John's Hospital in Santa Monica and the Jewish Home for 
the aging in Los Angeles. She also participates in a number of 
charitable activities, most notably for Hadassah and the Irene Dunne 
Women's Guild for St. John's Hospital.
  Jerry is a true patriot. From his participation in three Pacific 
island invasions as a soldier in World War II, through his Reserve 
career after the war, and continuing through his active civic 
involvement on local city, county and state commissions for the past 
forty or more years, Jerry Epstein is a ``Horatio Alger'' who has 
always believed in giving back to his country and community.
  Jerry has been involved with Marina del Rey since its inception in 
1955. He participated in the Master Planning process even before 
dredging began to create the Marina del Rey Harbor in 1958. He was 
among the original developers to bid on County of Los Angeles ground 
leases when the new community was developed through a then-unique 
public private partnership in the mid-1960s. Today Marina del Rey is 
the largest single income-producing asset owned by the County of Los 
Angeles, and Jerry is currently co-General Partner of Marina Harbor 
Apartments and Anchorage as well as Managing Partner of Shores.
  Jerry's vision and tenacity extends beyond the creation of the 
community of Marina del Rey to his leadership on transportation and 
other public infrastructure issues in Los Angeles County and throughout 
the state of California. He has served as President of the Board of 
Airport Commissioners of the City of Los Angeles; Chair of the 
California Transportation Commission; Vice Chair of the California 
High-Speed Rail Authority, and President of the Los Angeles State 
Building Authority. Jerry has also served as President of the St. 
John's Hospital Foundation and was honored by the National Conference 
of Christians and Jews and the Boys and Girls Club of Venice, among 
other charitable activities and honors.
  Together Pat and Jerry have an interest in American historical 
documents. Jerry's interest in American historical documents reflects 
his patriotism. They have donated a collection of these documents to 
Colonial Williamsburg, including a rare stone imprint of the 
Declaration of Independence. The Colonial Williamsburg web site 
includes information on the Pat and Jerry Epstein Collection of 
American Historical Documents.
  Mr. Speaker, I admire and am proud of Pat and Jerry's involvement and 
commitment to our community and our nation. Their generosity and civic 
engagement is an example we can all emulate and is one from which we 
all benefit.
  I am honored to call Pat and Jerry my dear friends and I wish them my 
sincerest congratulations on sixty-five years of marriage, my best 
wishes for many more happy years together and a very happy 90th 
birthday to Jerry.

                          ____________________