[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 171 (Tuesday, October 16, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1421-E1422]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 HONORING CARL CHILTON'S 95TH BIRTHDAY

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. FILEMON VELA

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, October 16, 2018

  Mr. VELA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 95th birthday of 
Brownsville champion Carl Chilton. Born in 1923, Mr. Chilton was one of 
four in the 1940 graduating class of Port Isabel High School.
  Upon graduating from high school, Mr. Chilton attended the Texas 
College of Arts and Industries at Kingsville--today known as Texas A&M 
University--Kingsville. His undergraduate career was shortened; in 1942 
he enlisted in the Army Air Corps to serve our country in World War II. 
He earned his wings and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in 
1944. Texas and the United States are forever grateful for his service 
and leadership throughout his 13 missions in France and other parts of 
the world as a member of the 410th Bomb Group.
  After serving in the military, Mr. Chilton enrolled in the University 
of Texas at Austin, where he graduated with an accounting degree. 
Following graduation, he served as a professor at Brownsville Junior 
College, where he taught introductory business. Upon completion of the 
CPA exam, he founded, with partner Bill Long, the accounting firm of 
Long & Chilton in 1951. Despite a slow start, the firm successfully 
expanded over the years and attracted the best talent under his 
leadership. The prestigious Texas Society of CPAs acknowledged his 
exceptional work in the field by electing him president of the 
organization in 1979.
  Mr. Chilton's exemplary dedication and hard work ensured that he left 
the largest accounting firm in the Valley in good hands at the time of 
his retirement in 1988. The now-merged offices in Brownsville, 
Harlingen and McAllen continue to thrive in the South Texas community.
  A man of family and service, Mr. Chilton never ceased to engage with 
the community in ways that deeply benefitted South Texas. He has been a 
loyal member of the Rotary Club for 53 years, served as president and 
chairman of the Brownsville Public Utilities Board, and was president 
of the Valley Zoological Society. He is also an active member of the 
First United Methodist Church, where he met and married the late Ruth 
Lewis Chilton.
  In addition, Mr. Chilton led the development of the nationally 
recognized Brownsville Tennis Center. As president of the Brownsville 
Tennis Club, he played an instrumental role in its founding and 
continued growth. Thanks to his work, the United States Tennis 
Association (USTA) chose the Brownsville Tennis Center as winner of the 
Facility of the Year Award in 2001. His exceptional work pioneered a 
movement encouraging fitness and recreation in the region.
  The highlights of his post-retirement community engagement are many. 
He wrote books about the City of Brownsville and how to find success in 
the accounting world. His published work includes: ``Successful Small 
Client Accounting Practice,'' ``The Successful Professional Client 
Accounting Practice: A Complete Guide to Profit Opportunities and 
Techniques,'' ``70 Years of Airport History in Brownsville,'' ``Fort 
Brown: The First Border Post,'' ``Memories of a Military Pilot: 1942 to 
1945,'' and ``Brownsville Families 1848-2012.'' His book, 
``Brownsville: The First 100 Years, 1848-1948,'' serves as an important 
collection of the history of Brownsville and its organizations that 
have made the city what it is today, a welcoming and kind community.
  Mr. Speaker, I take this opportunity to honor and celebrate Carl 
Chilton's 95th birthday. I ask my colleagues to join me and Mr. 
Chilton's family and friends in wishing him well on this special 
occasion. Mr. Chilton's devotion to his family and community make him a 
great role model for the people of Brownsville Texas, and he 
exemplifies the best of South Texas.

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