[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 174 (Wednesday, December 2, 2015)]
[Senate]
[Page S8303]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    REMEMBERING KATE ROGERS McCARTHY

  Mr. WYDEN. Madam President, I rise today to honor a distinguished 
Oregonian who made it her life's work to protect many of Oregon's and 
the Nation's most beautiful and majestic natural places. On November 3, 
Kate Rogers McCarthy, a lifelong conservationist, activist, and friend, 
passed away in her hometown of Parkdale, OR. Born in 1917 adjacent to 
the snow-capped peaks of Mount Hood in Parkdale, Kate spent most of her 
life in awe of the natural beauty that surrounded her. Kate drew from 
that passion as she worked to preserve many of Oregon's most iconic 
outdoor spaces, eventually taking on many leadership roles in 
conservation groups at the State and national levels.
  Growing up with the wilderness of Mount Hood as her backyard, Kate 
learned the value of nature and the importance of protecting our 
natural treasures. By the time she was in high school, Kate and her 
younger sister Betty ran an outdoor recreation camp for girls on the 
family property that introduced those girls to the beauty of Mount 
Hood. Kate attended Reed College, Yale Nursing School, and the 
University of Oregon Medical School. After earning her degrees and with 
new commercial development threatening the preservation of the Mount 
Hood wilderness, Kate began her lifelong campaign to preserve the lands 
she loved.
  In the mid-1970s, with development rapidly expanding into wild areas 
near Mount Hood, Kate and a group of Parkdale residents began a 
campaign to encourage county representatives to vote on zoning options. 
Thanks to her diligence and that of the other residents, the county 
voted to protect agricultural zones. Agricultural zoning still protects 
farmland in the upper valley today. In 1977, Kate gathered a few 
friends and founded the Hood River Valley Residents Committee. The 
committee grew to 1,200 members under Kate's leadership and continues 
to protect the natural spaces that are so unique to Oregon.
  A tireless advocate and conservationist, Kate was involved in a 
multitude of other conservation groups as well. She served as a member 
of the Oregon Natural Resources Council, what is now Oregon Wild; the 
Board of the Oregon Environmental Council; and Friends of the Columbia 
Gorge. She was also a charter member of 1000 Friends of Oregon. To 
motivate still greater involvement by citizens in the protection of 
Mount Hood, Kate helped form Friends of Mount Hood, a nonprofit 
organization dedicated to protecting the alpine meadows, wetlands, 
wildlife, and forests of Mount Hood by working with the Forest Service 
and the Oregon congressional delegation.
  In 2002, Kate McCarthy was recognized as a Women of Distinction 
honoree by the soroptimists of Hood River for making a difference in 
the lives of women and girls in her local community. She also received 
the highest award given by the Mazamas Mountaineering Club, becoming 
only the 41st person given the top award since the club's founding in 
1894. For several years, Kate worked closely with local organizations, 
as well as my office, to protect the north side of Mount Hood and 
Cooper Spur from a massive destination resort in the Hood River Valley. 
After years of hard-fought battles, Congress passed the Mount Hood 
Wilderness bill. The bill protects the more than 200,000 acres of 
wilderness and rivers in the Hood River Valley, an accomplishment I am 
proud to have been a part of.
  Because of Kate's lifetime of work to protect some of our most 
beautiful wetlands, forests, wildlife, and farms, she has given 
Oregonians and people from around the world opportunities to experience 
Oregon's natural splendor for generations to come. Kate McCarthy, a 
mother, grandmother, great grandmother, friend, and advocate of the 
natural beauty around her, deserves the utmost appreciation for a life 
fully lived. I honor the prolific life and career of Kate Rodgers 
McCarthy and express my gratitude for her everlasting impact on our 
State and Nation.

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