[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 13 (Tuesday, January 27, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E122-E123]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO GEORGETTE BROWN

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. GREG WALDEN

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, January 27, 2015

  Mr. WALDEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to 
Georgette Brown, a dedicated public servant and a very good friend of 
mine who passed away earlier this month. For 25 years, Georgette served 
the people of Josephine County, Oregon, as the longest serving County 
Clerk in county history. Along the way, she implemented local vote-by-
mail and published the first local voters' pamphlet. Today, I honor her 
commitment and lifetime of community service.
  Georgette understood the importance of participating in our 
democracy. Whether at a town hall, rotary speech or business 
roundtable, Georgette was always present, actively listening, asking 
pertinent questions and showing genuine support. She believed the best 
way to make her voice heard in Washington, DC was by being present and 
engaged.
  For Georgette, the core duty of a citizen was voting. She worked hard 
to make sure every vote counted. When Oregon moved to a vote-by-mail 
system, Georgette appeared before the Oregon Legislature to advocate 
for ballot deadline announcements in the media. In her own county, she 
took it upon herself as Clerk to make sure as many people as possible 
voted, telling anyone who would listen that they better vote!
  Georgette Brown's belief and dedication paid off. Voter turnout in 
Josephine County peaked at nearly 90 percent in the 1996 general 
election and averaged nearly 70 percent during much of Georgette's 
tenure. She served as president of the Oregon Association of County 
Clerks. I am sure more than a few of the fellow clerks with whom 
Georgette served are grateful for having so many helpful things from 
her along the way.
  Georgette had the distinction of being Josephine County's first clerk 
to perform marriages, and she performed hundreds of them during and 
after her tenure. She even once traveled on her own time to New Zealand 
to perform a wedding for a Grants Pass resident, quickly making new 
friends along the way.
  If someone had a question, Georgette usually had an answer. Often, 
she would even rattle off the appropriate Oregon statute from memory. 
Georgette believed it was important to be fiscally responsible in 
running her office. She ran it like a business, looking for ways to 
save money. Sometimes, when times were tight, she'd pay her own 
expenses when traveling to a conference, sharing a room when necessary.
  Georgette had great respect for the office of Clerk, and those who 
worked there. After her retirement in 2008, she would stop by the 
county courthouse to say hello. Her last visit was in May when she hand 
delivered her ballot to make sure the county clerk knew her signature 
had changed--and likely to see how the turnout was looking to see how 
many people she still needed to remind.

[[Page E123]]

  In addition to her official duties, Georgette was generous, donating 
to parks and 4-H programs. She was very community-minded, working on 
Rotary projects and serving as Rotary president. She was a member of 
St. Anne's parish for more than 40 years, serving as a reader during 
Saturday evening mass. One of her favorite retirement roles was reading 
with students at Allen Dale Elementary School. Always fun to be around, 
Georgette brightened every activity she was involved in and she never 
spoke ill of others.
  Born in Hoboken, New Jersey, Georgette attended school at St. Mary's 
in New York. She and Larry moved to Grants Pass in 1972. When Larry 
died of cancer in 2002, Georgette missed him terribly. Georgette was 
deeply loved and will be dearly missed by her daughters, Martie and 
Monique, her 7-year-old grandson, Taylor, her many, many friends and 
the countless people whose lives she positively touched through her 
service.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to please join me in honoring 
Georgette Brown for her many years of exemplary service in Josephine 
County and caring leadership of her community.

                          ____________________