[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 200 (Wednesday, December 19, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1685-E1686]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      IN RECOGNITION OF SUE DIGRE

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. JACKIE SPEIER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, December 19, 2018

  Ms. SPEIER. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor Sue Digre for her 16 
outstanding years of service on the Pacifica City Council, three times 
as mayor. Sue's compassion for others and her love of community have 
shaped her public service and dedication to keep Pacifica a livable and 
lovable town on the edge of the Pacific Ocean. It is her firm belief 
that Pacifica's environment with stunning ocean views, coastal hills, 
and family-friendly neighborhoods is its most valuable asset.
  Sue deserves much credit for the current upgrades and repaving of 
Highway 1 by Caltrans. This ambitious project will renew ten miles of 
Highway 1 from Gray Whale Cove to the Highway 1/280 interchange, the 
first time in over 20 years that the main road through Pacifica will be 
repaved end-to-end instead of in sections. The finished project will be 
hugely beneficial to the 250th Commemoration of the Ohlone-Portola 
Heritage Trail in 2019, an event Sue has lobbied for since 2014.
  Sue was also instrumental in helping the Pacifica Historical Society 
turn the Little Brown Church into a beautiful coastal museum and event 
space. The Manor Beach Park, brainchild of the late Councilman Jim 
Vreeland, was completed in part due to Sue's efforts.
  A tireless advocate for our youth, Sue feels it is important that 
they be given an opportunity to speak for themselves. She helped create 
the Youth Advisory Board in 2011, and a representative of the board now 
has a seat on the Parks, Beaches and Recreation Commission. She 
supported TRUST, Teens are Unbelievably Strong Together, in their work 
surveying transportation needs for youth and seniors which temporarily 
led to shuttles in Pacifica.
  Sue understands that small businesses are the lifeblood of her town 
and has consistently listened to their owners' needs. She also 
spearheaded Pacifica's membership in the San Mateo County/Silicon 
Valley Visitors Bureau which brings the town attention from visitors 
throughout the region.
  While Pacifica's geography makes it one of the most spectacular 
communities in San Mateo County, it also makes it vulnerable to sea 
level rise and coastal erosion. In 2016, fierce El Nino storms pounded 
the coast and damaged the seawall. Sue, along with the entire council 
and city staff, reached out to the City of San Francisco, the State of 
California and the federal government for assistance. To this day, my 
office is deeply involved in finding solutions to these ongoing 
challenges.
  My office has also worked closely with Sue and the council to reduce 
the relentless airplane noise that has been plaguing Pacifica 
neighborhoods for years. Sue has been a fierce advocate for Pacificans 
on the disastrous health impacts of airplane noise that the FAA must 
address.
  Susan Anne Lockard was born in Youngstown, Ohio and, as a Navy child, 
attended schools all across the country and world, from Ohio to North 
Carolina to Hawaii to Japan to Illinois to California. She earned her 
B.A. in Biology with a minor in Philosophy and a California State Life 
Credential from the Women's College of Notre Dame in Belmont. She 
started teaching general education classes throughout California for 
the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur in 1960. In 1968 she moved to 
Burlingame and taught at Mercy elementary and high schools until 1999.
  In 1977, she married Erick L. Digre. They have four children, 
Colleen, Sean, Michael and Scott. Sean and Michael serve in the 
military and were deployed after 9/11. Sue reached out to other mothers 
through the local paper, the Pacifica Tribune, to co-found the Pacifica 
Military Moms. This effort led to its incorporation as the San Mateo 
County Blue Star Moms.
  Since 1999, Sue has served as the Family Support Services and 
Advocacy Department Director for PARCA, Partners and Advocates for 
Remarkable Children and Adults. She has also volunteered for numerous 
organizations including the Burlingame Civic Action Forum, the Pacifica 
Open Space Committee, and the Sierra Club. As is obvious from this 
list, Sue is deeply dedicated to serving her community and supporting 
those in need.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask the House of Representatives to rise with me to 
honor a great community leader and personal friend, Sue Digre. We hail 
her contributions to Pacifica residents and visitors that will remain 
long after she retires from the city council. It's been my privilege to 
work with her for many years and I have no doubt that she will continue 
her civic engagement in her beloved home town.

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