[Congressional Record Volume 167, Number 110 (Thursday, June 24, 2021)]
[House]
[Pages H3090-H3091]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        HONORING LIEUTENANT COLONEL WILBUR L. ``W.L.'' PATE, JR.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Babin) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. BABIN. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor my dear friend of 
more than 65 years, Lieutenant Colonel Wilbur L. ``W.L.'' Pate, Jr.
  W.L. and I grew up together in Beaumont, Texas, where he was better 
known by his nickname, ``Bubba.'' We became close friends playing 
football together at Austin Junior High School, and eventually, my 
family moved across town, which, unfortunately, sent us to different 
high schools. I still remember the football game in 1965 when French 
High School--led by W.L. Pate at quarterback--dealt me and my team, 
Forest Park High School Trojans, a close loss.
  The final score of 8-7 stung, but I couldn't help but be proud of the 
skill and sportsmanship demonstrated by W.L. and his French High 
Buffalos.
  A year later, W.L. and I both ended up at Lamar University in 
Beaumont and served in the same unit in the Army Reserves, as well. In 
1969, he was commissioned as an infantry officer, and in 1978, he 
graduated from Command and General Staff College.
  After leaving the military as a lieutenant colonel in 1994, he dove 
into another form of public service--serving his community on 
Beaumont's City Council as mayor pro tempore, and on several boards, 
including the Beaumont Rotary Club, Better Business Bureau, the 
American Legion, Lamar Institute of Technology, and many more.
  One of Bubba's most significant accomplishments was his advocacy for 
the late Babe Didrikson Zaharias to be awarded the Presidential Medal 
of Freedom. Babe was from our hometown of Beaumont, Texas, and was a 
gold medal Olympian, and later, professional golfer, winning ten LPGA 
major tournaments. She is considered by many to be one of the world's 
greatest female athletes.
  I was honored to attend the White House ceremony with W.L. when he

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proudly accepted this award from President Trump on behalf of the Babe 
Zaharias Foundation in Beaumont, Texas. W.L. Pate was the very man who 
inspired me to run for Congress back when he nearly threw longtime 
incumbent Representative Jack Brooks into a runoff. Bubba certainly got 
Brooks' attention.
  W.L. was a dear friend and a respected leader. My heart goes out to 
his loved ones, his daughters, Suzanne and Jennifer; fiancee, Sherrene; 
brother, Robert; sister, Pam; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. My 
prayers are with all of them.

                          ____________________