[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 128 (Tuesday, September 8, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1215]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           PAXSON ``PACKY'' H. OFFIELD, CATALINA ICON PASSES

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. ALAN S. LOWENTHAL

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, September 8, 2015

  Mr. LOWENTHAL. Mr. Speaker, the community of Avalon, California was 
saddened to learn that Paxson ``Packy'' H. Offield passed away on 
Sunday, June 14, due to complications from leukemia. He recently chose 
to return to his home in Michigan, and passed away there, with his wife 
and family by his side.
  Mr. Offield attended the Latin School of Chicago and the Catalina 
Island School for Boys, located in Toyon Bay. He graduated from the 
University of Denver in 1975 with a degree in Economics and then taught 
here at the Catalina Island School. In 1976, his family asked him to 
join the Santa Catalina Island Company, formed in 1894 and guided by 
the Wrigley and Offield families since 1919. Beginning as property 
manager, Mr. Offield gained experience in several departments, and 
served at various times as the company's chairman of the board, 
president, and CEO. He was a member of its Board of Directors from 1980 
until his death.
  Mr. Offield was also chairman of the Benefactor Members of the Santa 
Catalina Island Conservancy, formed in 1972 by Philip K. Wrigley and 
Dorothy W. Offield, and was the Conservancy's first chairman of the 
board.
  A dedicated conservationist, Mr. Offield was a director and chairman 
of The Billfish Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to the 
conservation and enhancement of billfish populations worldwide through 
scientific research, education and advocacy. He was a Board member and 
former chairman of The Peregrine Fund, a worldwide organization 
dedicated to preserving birds of prey. In 2006, Mr. Offield received 
from the president of Panama the Commendador Award for work through the 
Peregrine Fund on the reintroduction of the Harpy Eagle, the national 
bird of Panama.
  Mr. Offield was also chairman of the Catalina Sea Bass Fund, 
dedicated to the restoration of sea bass and other fisheries in 
Southern California waters. He was active with the Conservation and 
Research for Endangered Species component of the San Diego Zoological 
Society. He was awarded the 2006 Conservation Medal from the Society 
for his work with the Peregrine Fund and satellite tagging of marlin. 
He also spearheaded a DNA sampling study with Rutgers University and 
The Billfish Foundation.
  Mr. Offield was very involved in developing satellite tags for 
tagging billfish in Pacific waters for over 20 years, to track 
migration and other data on billfish. He was the chairman of the 
Offield Center for Billfish Studies and funded an archival tagging 
program for white sea bass in cooperation with the Pfleger Institute 
for Environmental Research. He was a founding member of the Marine 
Conservation Science Institute. Mr. Offield was also a director of 
USC's Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies and endowed the 
Paxson H. Offield Professor of Population Ecology now held by Dennis 
Hedgecock at USC.
  Mr. Offield was president of the Offield Family Foundation, which 
works predominantly on environmental issues around the world. He has 
worked with the Little Traverse Conservancy to protect the arboreal 
forests of Northern Michigan. He was a past president and board member 
of the Silver Creek Fishing Club in Northern Michigan.
  Mr. Offield was named to the International Game Fish Association 
Board of Trustees in 2007 and currently served as its chairman. He 
shared its belief in the conservation of game fish and the promotion of 
responsible, ethical angling practices through science, education, rule 
making and record keeping. He was inducted into the IGFA Hall of Fame 
in 2011.
  In Avalon, Mr. Offield was a past president and member of the Avalon 
Tuna Club, the world's oldest sportfishing club and was the current 
president of the Tuna Club Foundation. He had in the past served as 
Chairman of the Avalon Planning Commission and as president of the 
Catalina Island Chamber of Commerce. The Tuna Club had twice recognized 
him as Angler of the Year, and he had three Tuna Club record fish using 
three-thread linen and 8-pound Dacron. Mr. Offield also participated in 
the International Masters Angling Invitational Tournament in Cancun.
  Mr. Offield is survived by his wife, Susan, his children, Chase 
(Lena), Calen (Amber) and Kelsey, his stepson, Rex, three grandchildren 
(Christian, Owen and Capri) and his brother, James Offield. A 
celebration of life will be held in Avalon later in the summer.

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