[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 175 (Tuesday, December 6, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1598]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     PAYING TRIBUTE TO JOSE ABEYTA

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. SCOTT R. TIPTON

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 6, 2016

  Mr. TIPTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Mr. Jose Abeyta of 
Montrose, Colorado, who passed away on November 14, 2016. Jose is 
survived by his wife, Loretta, whom he was married to for 40 years, and 
their two sons, Lenny and Juan. Jose was a personal friend of mine and 
a beloved member of his community. He served our country proudly during 
the Vietnam War from 1969-1971 as a fixed wing mechanic for the Army's 
358th Aviation Detachment. He received an honorable discharge after 
serving for two years.
  Mr. Abeyta is a hero because of the time he spent in the Army, but 
the life he lived after his service showed us what an honorable man and 
model citizen he truly was. Jose married Loretta one month after 
returning home from Vietnam, and they moved to Colorado Springs, where 
he went to school and earned a degree in Sociology at the University of 
Colorado at Colorado Springs.
  Mr. Abeyta paid his own way through school, and then he and Loretta 
moved back to Montrose, where he began his career as a probation 
officer. He later ran successfully for city council in 2006. He served 
as the Mayor of Montrose in 2009.
  Mr. Speaker, it was not just his work that defined who Mr. Abeyta 
was, but also his devotion to serving others. As a husband, father, war 
veteran, little league coach, and public servant, he lived a life full 
of selfless service and stood as an example for all Americans to live 
by. He started out as the new guy in Montrose, and he ended up serving 
as the Mayor, which speaks volumes about the impact he had on the 
community. I am saddened by Mr. Abeyta's death, because he is an 
irreplaceable figure in Montrose, but I am grateful that I had the 
opportunity to know him. His family is in my thoughts and prayers, and 
I hope the community of Montrose will continue to celebrate his 
tremendous accomplishments in the weeks and months to come.

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