[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 139 (Tuesday, October 8, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1456]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 HONORING THE CAREER OF CLARA THOMPSON

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. CHERI BUSTOS

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, October 8, 2013

  Mrs. BUSTOS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about Clara Delle 
Thompson of Rock Island, Illinois.
   Clara Thompson will be retiring at the end of this month after 
almost 45 years serving Rock Island as a court reporter. Her 
friendliness, unmatched style and love of her ``bling'' will be greatly 
missed in the Rock Island County Courthouse by the many judges, 
bailiffs, attorneys and others who love and respect her. Thompson is a 
legend in the 14th Judicial Circuit in Illinois where she has continued 
to use her notebook and shorthand to take notes on court proceedings, 
even while the rest of her colleagues turned to electronic steno-
machines. She jokes that if the power goes out, her pen still works.
   Thompson has lived in the Quad Cities since her family moved to Rock 
Island when she was nine. She worked for Deere and Co. and Dohrn 
Transfer before becoming a court reporter in her late 30s. Along with 
her work, she is very involved in her community, supporting the Figge 
and the Putnam museums and the Quad City Botanical Center among other 
organizations.
   While the Rock Island County Courthouse will not be the same without 
Clara Delle Thompson, I wish her the best as she continues to serve the 
people in her community, play bridge and I hope she will be able to 
keep travelling the world.

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