    [Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 6 (Wednesday, January 10, 2018)]
    [Senate]
    [Pages S136-S137]
    From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

                         REMEMBERING ANNE MICHELE IRBY

      Mr. CARDIN. Mr. President, today, with sadness in my heart, I wish to
    pay tribute to a very special person, Anne Michele Irby, a member of my
    staff for over 25 years and a dear friend who died on December 18,
    2017.
      Anne was born in Baltimore and raised in Parkville. She was the
    daughter of Basil T. Irby, a sales representative for the Baltimore
    Stationery Co., and Jean Craig, a homemaker. She attended St. Thomas
    More School and was a 1979 graduate of the old Seton High School in
    Charles Village. She received a diploma from what was then Villa Julie
    College and earned a bachelor's degree from the University of
    Baltimore. Early in her career, she worked for the Baltimore Jewish
    Council and then became a lobbyist for Associated Catholic Charities of
    Baltimore.
      Anne joined my office in 1990 when I was a Member of the U.S. House
    of Representatives and remained a member of my team when I became a
    U.S. Senator. She was a dedicated caseworker in my Baltimore office and
    was an invaluable resource to my staff and the citizens of Maryland.
    She was an indefatigable advocate for veterans and their families and
    helped them navigate a complicated system to obtain disability,
    medical, and educational benefits. She also helped veterans obtain
    much-needed medical appointments and lost medals. In addition to her
    work with veterans, she also worked tirelessly to help Marylanders save
    their homes as the foreclosure crisis spread across the State during
    the recession.
      Anne was very knowledgeable about the agencies and personnel
    available to serve the needs of my constituents. Agency professionals
    knew Anne and respected her willingness to assist those constituents in
    need. Anne considered her position in my office as a career, not just
    ``a job.'' She was a true professional who wanted to make life better
    for as many people as she could. That is the essence of public service.
      Anne would be best described as a ``gentle soul.'' She was a devoted
    caregiver to her parents and close family members. She was a huge
    football fan. I think the only person she ever had a ``beef'' with was
    John Elway. The Baltimore Colts drafted him in 1983, but he refused to
    play for the Colts, so they had to trade him to Denver. Even though she
    was from Baltimore, she later cheered hard for the team from Washington
    after the Colts left town under the cover of darkness on March 29,
    1984. She spent many Mondays talking about how her team fared on
    Sunday. In addition to her love of football, Anne enjoyed a good book
    and a hot cup of coffee. She would often visit Washington's Politics
    and Prose bookstore to pick up the latest bestseller or meet her
    favorite author. She frequented Baltimore's Woodlea Bakery and was
    known for bringing their donuts and cakes to the office for the rest of
    the staff and visitors.
      Ralph Waldo Emerson said, ``To laugh often and much; To win the
    respect of intelligent people and the affection of children; To earn
    the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false
    friends; To appreciate

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    beauty, to find the best in others; To leave the world a bit better,
    whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social
    condition; To know even one life has breathed easier because you have
    lived. This is to have succeeded.''
      Anne Irby left us much too soon, but she succeeded. She touched so
    many lives and helped so many people and families across the State. She
    will be remembered for putting the concerns of others before her own.
    Many people wake up every day hoping to make a difference. We can all
    take comfort in knowing that Anne Irby actually did make a difference.
    I send my deepest condolences to her sister Donna Jean Rodgers, her
    other family members, and her friends. We are all grieving.
      I salute Anne for a job extraordinarily well done and pledge today
    that she will always be a member of ``Team Cardin.''

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