[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 24 (Monday, February 7, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S545-S546]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        REMEMBERING DEWEY DeWITT

  Ms. COLLINS. Mr. President, through a legendary broadcasting career 
spanning more than seven decades, Maine's Dewey DeWitt was the ``Voice 
of Aroostook County.'' Dewey passed away on January 5 at 99 years of 
age, but his voice and his contributions will never be forgotten.
  As a native of the county, a longtime fan, and a friend, I offer my 
deepest condolences to his family. In this time of sorrow, I am sure 
they will find comfort in knowing how much Dewey meant to so many.
  Dewey first went on the air in 1950, the year a radio station began 
operations in Houlton, the Shiretown of Aroostook County. When a 
television station began broadcasting from Presque Isle a few years 
later, Dewey was the first person seen by viewers.
  Like many others in Northern Maine, I grew up listening to Dewey. 
From interviews with public officials to the daily news to high school 
basketball, he kept us informed.
  Indeed, the hallmark of Dewey's career was his devotion to local 
sports, especially high school basketball. It is estimated that Dewey 
called the play-by-play of more than 3,000 games over the years.
  Every sportscaster has that one indelible memory that stands alone. 
For Dewey and me, it was a memory we shared with people throughout the 
region. In 1969, when I was a student at Caribou High School, our boys' 
basketball team won its first-ever State championship on a last-second 
shot by Mike Thurston from beyond midcourt. I was at that exciting 
game, but it was Dewey's voice that brought that thrilling moment to 
listeners across Maine. More than a half-century later, Dewey could 
still recall that game and that shot in vivid detail.
  Although Dewey retired from daily broadcasting some years ago, he 
remained active with a frequent show on WHOU radio called, ``Talk of 
the Town.'' Whenever I visited Houlton, I loved stopping to see Dewey 
for a chat.
  Dewey's interviews were a shining example of how it should be done. 
He was always informed and insightful, with a keen understanding of how 
national issues affected the people in his audience. In our most recent 
interview, in October of 2021, he asked probing questions about border 
security, the appropriations process, our national debt, and pandemic 
recovery, among other important topics.
  Dewey DeWitt's work was recognized by the Maine Sports Hall of Fame, 
the Maine Basketball Hall of Fame's Legends of the Game, and the Maine 
Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame. But I know that the tribute 
that meant the most to him was the affection people throughout 
Aroostook County will always have for him. I join them in celebrating 
his remarkable life and in recognizing him for a voice that brought us 
together as a community.

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