[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 5 (Friday, January 8, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E22]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                IN HONOR OF ROBERT WALTER ``BOBBY'' DEWS

                                 ______
                                 

                      HON. SANFORD D. BISHOP, JR.

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, January 8, 2016

  Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, it is with a heavy heart and 
solemn remembrance that I rise today to pay tribute to a respected 
athlete, coach, author, and family man, Robert Walter ``Bobby'' Dews. 
Sadly, Bobby Dews passed away on Saturday, December 26, 2015. A private 
funeral service was attended by close family and friends.
  Mr. Dews was a longtime resident of Georgia and graduated from Edison 
High School in Calhoun County before attending the Georgia Institute of 
Technology, where he played baseball and basketball.
  As a young man, Bobby Dews was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals. He 
was an infielder on the team for eight years before beginning his 
managerial career. Mr. Dews eventually returned to Georgia and served 
as manager, scout, and coach for the Atlanta Braves for over 30 years. 
In recognition of his successful career in baseball, Mr. Dews was 
inducted into Georgia Tech's Hall of Fame.
  Bobby Dews was not only a natural athlete and baseball enthusiast but 
also a masterful storyteller, publishing several novels and books of 
short poetry and prose. After retiring from the Braves, Mr. Dews 
remained involved in the community and served as the writer-in-
residence for Andrew College in Cuthbert, Georgia, where he had 
previously received his Associate's degree.
  Mr. Dews was truly an asset to the Atlanta and Edison communities and 
the state of Georgia. A prominent sports figure in the state, Bobby 
Dews will be remembered by all who had the pleasure of knowing this 
inspiring mentor and humble friend.
  Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. once said, ``Life's most urgent question 
is: What are you doing for others?'' Bobby Dews committed a prodigious 
amount of time and love to service others and shared his own enthusiasm 
and wisdom in order to better those around him. In life and in death, 
Mr. Dews has left a lasting impact on all those who he mentored over 
the years.
  Bobby Dews leaves behind his loving wife of 39 years, Glenda; his 
daughter, Dana; and his grandson and namesake, Robert Dawson Gates. 
Additionally, Mr. Dews is survived by his sister, stepsister, and two 
stepbrothers as well as several nieces and nephews who will miss him 
dearly. He was a longtime member of the First United Methodist Church 
of Edison, Georgia.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives 
to join me and my wife, Vivian, in extending our deepest sympathies to 
Bobby Dews' family and friends during this difficult time. May they be 
consoled and comforted by their abiding faith in the Holy Spirit in the 
days, weeks and months ahead.

                          ____________________