[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 176 (Wednesday, December 7, 2016)]
[House]
[Page H7278]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     PAYING TRIBUTE TO JOSE ABEYTA

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Colorado (Mr. Tipton) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. TIPTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Mr. Jose Abeyta of Montrose, 
Colorado, who passed away on November 14, 2016. Jose is survived by his 
wife, Loretta, whom he married 40 years ago, and they have two sons, 
Lenny and Juan.
  Jose was a personal friend of mine and was a beloved member of his 
community. He served our country proudly during the Vietnam war from 
1969 to 1971, as a fixed wing mechanic for the Army's 358th Aviation 
Detachment. He received an honorable discharge after serving for 2 
years. Mr. Abeyta was a hero for 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 1 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. He and Loretta then moved 
back to Montrose, where he began his career as a probation officer. He 
later ran successfully for the city council in 2006 and served as the 
mayor of Montrose in 2009.
  Mr. Speaker, it was not just his work that defined who Mr. Abeyta 
was. It was the devotion to serving others. As a husband, a father, a 
war veteran, a little league coach, and a 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 
his community.
  Mr. Speaker, I am saddened by Jose's passing because he was 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 that the community of Montrose will continue to celebrate his 
tremendous accomplishments in the weeks and months to come. Jose Abeyta 
will be missed.

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