[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 206 (Thursday, December 19, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1633-E1634]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             HONORING THE CAREER OF MAYOR THOMAS F. KELAHER

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. ANDY KIM

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, December 19, 2019

  Mr. KIM. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mayor Tom Kelaher, 
of Toms River, New Jersey, on the occasion of his retirement from 
public service.
  Mayor Kelaher has devoted his career to serving his country, and his 
community in Ocean County. While attending college, Mayor Kelaher 
enlisted in the United States Marine Corps, where he served in various 
roles during his deployments, eventually ending his active duty service 
as the executive officer of the Marine Barracks at Lakehurst Naval Air 
Station in New Jersey. After his release from active duty, Mayor 
Kelaher remained in the Marine Corps Reserves.
  Mayor Kelaher then began a 49-year career practicing law in the state 
of New Jersey. He served as Deputy Attorney General of New Jersey by 
Governor Hughes in 1963, and was appointed as the Assistant Ocean 
County Prosecutor from 1969 to 1974. He also served as Prosecutor for 
various Ocean County municipalities. Throughout his career, Mayor 
Kelaher remained dedicated to improving health care services in Ocean 
County, serving

[[Page E1634]]

as a volunteer member of the Community Medical Center Board of Trustees 
for 25 years, Chairman of the Board for Clara Mass Medical Center, 
member of the Board of Trustees of Kimball Medical Center and St. 
Barnabas Behavior Health Center. In 1998, Mayor Kelaher was named 
Hospital Trustee of the Year by the New Jersey Hospital Association. 
Mayor Kelaher was sworn in as Mayor of Toms River on January 1, 2008, 
and was reelected again in 2012 and 2015.
  Over the course of his career, Mayor Kelaher has served Toms River, 
Ocean County, and New Jersey dutifully, and has made strides to improve 
the lives of his neighbors. Mayor Kelaher's will be hard shoes to fill.
  I thank Mayor Kelaher for all he has done for our community in Ocean 
County. I hope that he will enjoy spending more time with his wife, 
Carol, and their eight grandchildren, and I wish him all the best in 
his retirement.

                          ____________________