[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 87 (Thursday, May 23, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E664-E665]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF PHYLLIS WATT WUSTENBERG

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. KURT SCHRADER

                               of oregon

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 23, 2019

  Mr. SCHRADER. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and 
legacy of Phyllis Watt Wustenberg a constituent of mine from Bay City, 
Oregon who recently passed away at the age of 92.
  Phyllis was a remarkable woman and beloved member of the community 
who leaves behind an incredible legacy of a life that was dedicated to 
service. The Tillamook County area won't be the same without her. Today 
I would like to include in the Record Phyllis' obituary and extend my 
sincere condolences to Phyllis' family and the people of Tillamook 
County.

                  Obituary for Phyllis Watt Wustenberg

       Phyllis Wustenberg, age 92, passed away peacefully on May 
     7, 2019 while seated at the desk of her home in Bay City, OR. 
     There were messages on the answering machine, minutes and 
     notes from recent nonprofit board and public commission 
     meetings, and treasured memories from five generations of her 
     Oregon family within arm's reach. Phyllis Watt Wustenberg--
     pioneer, matriarch, scholar, mink rancher, gardener, civic 
     leader, philanthropist, sorority sister, and great 
     grandmother--was busy living right to the last moment. It was 
     a life well lived, dedicated to the betterment of her family, 
     community, and state she loved so dearly.
       She was born July 25, 1927 in Vancouver, WA to Robert, son 
     of settler, farmer, logger and lumber mill owner Robert Watt, 
     and Jean Morris Watt, who he met in Haines, AK. The Watt 
     family journey from Scotland and contributions as pioneers in 
     the coastal region are documented in the 1974 book, Five Watt 
     Brothers. Phyllis attended Bay City school with siblings 
     Barbara, Joan and Robert. She graduated in 1945 in a class of 
     nine, received her B.S. from Oregon State University in 1949 
     and was one of the first women to achieve a Master's in 
     Fisheries Management in 1951. Phyllis was on faculty at OSU 
     from 1951 to 1953, where her work was described in Fur Animal 
     Research where, in 200, editor J.E. Oldfield remembers: ``I 
     moved from U.B.C. to Oregon State University in 1949 and 
     found a mink research program in the Department of Fisheries 
     and Wildlife (then ``Fish and Game'') which was ably directed 
     by Phyllis Watt (now Wustenberg). If I needed any 
     encouragement to continue my interest with mink, Phyllis 
     certainly supplied it. Raised on a mink ranch at Bay City, 
     Oregon, she combined her knowledge of the industry and its 
     needs with her research abilities to form an effective 
     program which she operated with great good humor.''
       She met and married Donald Wustenberg of Chico, CA in 1953 
     while at OSU, and in 1955, after he graduated with a Master's 
     in Fisheries Biology. They relocated to the farm in Bay City 
     to create a life closer to their shared ideal for raising a 
     family. Mark was born in 1954 and William (Bill) in 1957. Don 
     and Phyllis combined their unique research skills in animal 
     science and genetics to create innovative data management 
     practices that produced among the finest natural black mink 
     in the world for over 45 years. During that time they were 
     active leaders in the Ninth American mink industry: Phyllis 
     served as chair of the National Mink Farmer's Research 
     Foundation and was in demand as a renowned speaker; Don was 
     on the board of the Great Lakes Mink Association during years 
     of the famous ``What Becomes A Legend Most'' Richard Avalon 
     ad campaign.
       Phyllis served her community and state with a gifted 
     ability to see possibilities and respect history. She 
     believed that people's lives can be improved, young and old, 
     with a free book, a trip to a museum, a walk in a nature 
     center, or a scholarship for higher education. Near to her 
     heart was the Watt Brothers Scholarship Trust, where she 
     served as chair for over 30 years, that annually gifts about 
     $100,000 to Tillamook County graduates. She was a dedicated 
     founder of the Bay City Planning Commission, Tillamook County 
     Pioneer Museum and Kilchis Point Reserve boards, serving 
     until her last day. She sat on the Tillamook County Extension 
     Committee and Tillamook County Library Board. In 1994 Phyllis 
     was appointed to the Oregon State Board of Higher Education 
     and served until it was disbanded in 2004. She was the 
     Board's representative to the Center for Applied Agricultural 
     Research Board during that period and was a tireless advocate 
     for Oregon State University Cascades to ensure four-year 
     university education was available to the eastern half of the 
     state. Former Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Shirley 
     Clark reflected with great admiration that, ``Phyllis changed 
     the world and made friends along the way.''
       Phyllis did indeed bestow her deepest love upon family and 
     close friends. She nutured her sons through Willamette 
     University and Oregon State Veterinary College and was deeply 
     proud that they each accomplished distinguished careers and 
     raised close-knit families with core values that mirrored her 
     own. Her home was a destination for large gatherings of 
     family, annual OSU Delta Delta Delta Sorority picnics, 
     international guests, drop-by visitors, and the occasional 
     elected official seeking advice. She is survived by: son, Dr. 
     Mark Wustenberg (Judy), Bay City, OR; Dr. William Wustenberg 
     (Wendy), Farmington, MN; four grandchildren--Dr. Ben 
     Wustenberg (Dr. Leticia), Carlton, OR and their children 
     Tristan and Emma; Liam Wustenberg (Jennifer), Forest Grove, 
     OR and their son Everett; Russell Wustenberg, living in 
     Toronto, CA; and Lauren Wustenberg, South Royalton, VT; her 
     sisters Barbara and Joan; beloved nephews and nieces and 
     extended family by birth and marriage here in the United 
     States and abroad. She is preceded in death by her husband, 
     Don, both parents and her brother Robert.
       Mark recalls that his mother said, ``Heaven is our memories 
     carried forward in the lives of those we love and hold 
     dear.'' The public is invited to join the family at Tillamook 
     County Pioneer Museum, 2106 2nd St. Tillamook, OR 97141, 
     Sunday June 9, 2019 from 2-5 p.m. Memorials are requested in 
     lieu of flowers to honor Phyllis' lifelong dedication to the 
     good works of the Watt Brothers Scholarship Trust, c/o 
     Simpson & Roesener, LLP, 2216 4th St. Tillamook, OR 97141 and 
     the Tillamook County Pioneer Museum, c/o Gary Albright, 2106 
     2nd St. Tillamook, OR 97141.

[[Page E665]]

       When she accepted the 2016 Bay City Pearl Festival Honoree 
     Award Phyllis said, ``If you love the place you live, you are 
     extremely blessed.'' A more complete story about Phyllis Watt 
     Wustenberg's lifelong love of Oregon and the blessings that 
     will continue due to her dedicated efforts will be available 
     online at http://www.tcpm.org later this week.
       The public is invited to celebrate the life of Phyllis Watt 
     Wustenberg on Sunday June 9 from 2-5 p.m. at the Tillamook 
     County Pioneer Museum, 2106 2nd St., Tillamook, OR 97141.

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