[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 37 (Thursday, March 1, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E243-E244]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                               BILL LOPER

                                  _____
                                 

                           HON. ED PERLMUTTER

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 1, 2018

  Mr. PERLMUTTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of my 
close friend Bill Loper. My brother, sister and I grew up in one of the 
best neighborhoods a kid could ever grow up in. As youngsters we roamed 
from one house to another. No matter where we were, we knew we were 
under the watchful eyes of parents and adults who treated us like their 
own--the Wehdes, the Driftmiers, the Fisks, and especially, the Lopers. 
So, as I write this recognition and celebration of Bill's life, I 
cannot do it in isolation and think of Annie and the other families and 
my own mom and dad.
  As close as we were to all of our neighbors, Bill and Annie and my 
mom and dad had something special. They all met at the University of 
Colorado just after WWII, and from that time on were the best of 
friends and partners. This was due, in no small part, to the kindred 
spirit that Bill and my dad shared and still share even with Bill's 
passing.
  Dad and Bill were native Coloradans, Bill from Olathe and Dad from 
Denver. Bill followed in his big brother Bob's footsteps when he 
enrolled at CU after serving a hitch in the Navy at the end of WWII. My 
dad followed in his big brother Jack's footsteps, when he enrolled at 
Boulder. Both studied liberal arts, Dad--Political Science and Bill--
Economics. They were friends, classmates and roommates. Both enjoyed 
politics and were left in their leanings. They were pretty rebellious 
too and despite Joe McCarthy's ``Red Scare'' of the late 40's and early 
50's, they named their intramural softball team ``The Social Science 
Reds.'' Bill excelled at everything while at CU, except spelling. 
According to my dad, Bill's friends had to help him correct his term 
papers so he could graduate.
  After graduation, Bill announced he was moving to Alaska to find his 
fame and fortune, and follow his brother who had moved up to the 
Northwest. Apparently he didn't find fame or fortune and wasn't too 
enamored with his brother, because he returned to Colorado shortly 
thereafter.
  My dad, grandfather, Uncles Mike and Jack, and Aunt Ann knew Bill 
could build or fix just about anything and that whatever he worked at 
or worked on he would master. So, upon returning from Alaska, he joined 
them in business at Perlmutter & Sons Construction and Prestressed 
Concrete/Stanly Structures where he was the head of operations. As the 
head of operations, Bill learned and mastered new products and 
construction techniques for the next 50 years or so.
  Bill, together with the others, helped build much of the West, 
whether it was roads, bridges, apartments, hotels, offices, warehouses 
or shopping centers. If there was a construction problem, Bill was the 
trouble shooter to figure out what went wrong and how to fix it. Bill 
helped build much of Vail and the Gore Valley, and even the precursor 
to the building hosting Bill's memorial, the Tivoli. He was also a risk 
taker, helping to stake and support young entrepreneurial developers 
and owners like Bob Lazier, the owner and proprietor of the Tivoli. 
Besides the Precast/Prestressed Concrete Business, Bill also headed up 
the Air Structure business which built big air bubble structures to 
cover virtually anything from tennis courts to football fields. He 
founded Cygnus with his friend and fishing buddy, Tom Obermeyer, which 
made the precast facia and cladding for buildings all over the country.
  But of greater importance to me, Cassie and Joe, was the way that 
Bill and Annie treated us, whether it was barbecues in their backyard 
on Upham Court (where the hamburgers were a little too rare) to 
badminton, or pool, or tennis or going to football games, or of course, 
skiing. We all spent countless hours together learning and playing and 
enjoying each other's company. One time, Bill agreed to teach me how to 
drive a stick shift over Loveland Pass just after I got my learner's 
permit. It was snowing and icy and I remember how scared I was; he must 
have been petrified, but he never showed it.
  Annie taught all of us, including my mom and dad, how to ski. When 
Annie was teaching a class, Bill was always with us and his kids on the 
slopes. It didn't matter whether it was at Eldora, Winter Park, or 
Vail. We spent many nights and weekends bunking in the Loper's cabin in 
Fraser or their condo at the Villa Cortina in Vail.
  Bill loved his sports, especially tennis, skiing, and squash. At one 
time he was one of the best squash players in Denver and was a regular 
at the downtown YMCA. He loved Bronco football and attended many games 
with Jerry Shpall and other Bronco fanatics.
  Whatever Bill did, he did it to his best ability. One of the things 
he did best was to encourage people. He loved his children and 
grandchildren and encouraged them in every way possible. That 
encouragement and support led Amy, Steve, and Ted to take risks and 
accomplish things that most people fear to undertake, whether it's 
starting a business, moving overseas or telemarking down the Minturn 
Mile.
  Bill loved politics. He and my dad were Democratic precinct 
committeemen in Wheat

[[Page E244]]

Ridge and had all of us kids out walking precincts for our local 
candidates at a very early age. Bill participated in so many civic and 
charitable organizations that are too numerous to list. But suffice it 
to say, local PTA's, animal protection organizations, rotaries and 
industry groups benefitted from his leadership.
  Bill had a wry sense of humor and could find something funny in just 
about everything and every situation (with the possible exception of 
the Trump Administration). He had many sayings but one that stands out 
for me is, ``If you do somebody a favor, you can be sure they will 
remember it . . . the next time they need another favor.'' Despite the 
sardonic humor, you can bet that Bill did favors for just about 
everyone, whether it was teaching somebody like me to drive over an icy 
pass or helping a young ski bum build his first hotel.
  I talked to Annie and Bill a couple of weeks before Bill passed away. 
As always, they both expressed interest in how I was doing, what it was 
like these days with Donald Trump in office and how my family was 
doing. Bill continued to encourage me to do my best for my 
constituents, no matter their means, and make sure that they had a 
voice in Washington. Bill was always concerned about the success of the 
little guy or the hardworking family down the street.
  Bill was one of the nicest, smartest, most generous men I've ever 
known. In that regard, he and my dad were not only kindred spirits, but 
twin brothers. Bill was like a second dad to me, Cassie, and Joe, and 
he will be sorely missed. As my dad so succinctly put it, ``Bill worked 
hard. He played hard. And he kept faith with himself.'' Bill lived a 
good life and was loved by anybody and everybody who knew him.

                          ____________________