[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 66 (Tuesday, April 24, 2018)]
[House]
[Page H3456]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  HONORING THE LIFE OF JUDGE PAUL W. DANAHY, JR., ON HIS 90TH BIRTHDAY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Florida (Ms. Castor) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. CASTOR of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Judge Paul 
Danahy, Jr., a leader of distinction from Tampa, Florida, and part of 
Florida's Greatest Generation. Judge Danahy is celebrating his 90th 
birthday this week.
  Judge Danahy was one of the longest serving members of Florida's 
Second District Court of Appeals. The judge may also wish to be 
remembered for working his way through college at the legendary Tampa's 
Valencia Garden restaurant as the only Anglo member of the Spanish 
waiters for many, many years. Wherever Judge Danahy worked and served, 
he earned a reputation for working tirelessly and gaining the respect 
of all he worked with.
  Born in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, Judge Danahy was drawn to Tampa to 
play basketball at the University of Tampa. In Tampa, he found both a 
new hometown and the love of his life, Georgia Reed.
  Judge Danahy enlisted in the Army during the Korean war and has a 
very unique military record, including three honorable discharges from 
two branches of the military: the Marine Reserves, the U.S. Army 
Infantry, and finally from service in the Army Counter Intelligence 
Corps, a precursor to the CIA. Upon return from military service, he 
found his true calling and earned his law degree from the University of 
Florida in 1957.
  Judge Danahy became an influential member of the Florida House of 
Representatives, serving from 1966 to 1974. True to form, Judge Danahy 
played a significant role as part of what many believe to be Tampa's 
greatest State legislative delegations during the 1960s and early 
1970s.
  There, amongst other progressive policies, he drafted and championed 
the first ethics law in the State of Florida, which continues in force 
to this day and is now firmly ensconced in Florida's constitution. The 
Florida we know and love today would not be possible without the 
contributions of Judge Danahy and his partners in Florida's Greatest 
Generation.
  After leaving the legislature, Judge Danahy's service was only 
beginning. He was appointed to the Second District Court of Appeals in 
1977, and sat on the bench a record-shattering 33 years, serving as 
chief judge from 1986 to 1988. In his 30th year at the court, Judge 
Danahy received a fitting recognition: the largest conference room at 
the Tampa branch of the Second District Court of Appeals was named the 
Judge Paul Danahy, Jr., Conference Room. This recognition not only 
honored his record-setting time on the bench, but also his legislative 
accomplishments. He was largely responsible for obtaining the 
legislative funding to bring the branch to Tampa.
  Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pride to honor and send many wishes to 
a great Tampanian, part of Florida's Greatest Generation of leaders, 
Judge Paul W. Danahy, Jr., on his 90th birthday. His legacy continues 
as the patriarch of an ever-growing family to whom he imparts his 
wisdom and through whom his lessons and beliefs will surely echo in the 
years to come.

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