[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 177 (Wednesday, November 16, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1149-E1150]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
CELEBRATING MR. TOM DiMAGGIO
______
HON. JIMMY PANETTA
of california
in the house of representatives
Wednesday, November 16, 2022
Mr. PANETTA. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Mr. Tom
DiMaggio of Monterey, California, as he celebrates his 100th birthday
on November 18, 2022. Mr. DiMaggio is a stalwart of the Monterey
Peninsula, and his efforts to lift up our community has already secured
his legacy in Central Coast history.
[[Page E1150]]
In an effort to provide a better life for her son, Mr. DiMaggio's
mother, Maria Radiatti, worked tirelessly to send him to the United
States before he was conscripted into the fascist dictator Benito
Mussolini's military. Leaving his home country of Italy behind, Mr.
DiMaggio joined his extended family in Monterey and worked to turn the
fishing hobby of his childhood into a career.
Mr. DiMaggio relocated to Alaska to pursue his fishing career, and
for the next 50 years after returning home to Monterey, Mr. DiMaggio
captained many vessels, including the Tommy D, the Ronnie F, the
Sockeye, the Swan, and the Sea Queen. Throughout his career, Mr.
DiMaggio was a well-known and respected figure in the Alaska and
Monterey fishing communities.
Outside his distinguished fIshing career, Mr. DiMaggio is a dedicated
family man and active community member. On April 24, 1949, Mr. DiMaggio
and Eva DiMecurio married, and together, they raised three children:
Tommy, Marilyn, and Sal, as well as one granddaughter, Meredith. In
2019, the couple celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary. Throughout
their lifetime together, Tom and Eva have proven their dedication to
our community by donating their time and talents to the Sanctuary Bible
Church in Carmel Valley and as members of the ``Giovanottis,'' a
charitable group that provides dinners to the community. Currently, Mr.
DiMaggio is an active member of the Italian Catholic Federation, the
Compare Club, the Elks Lodge, and Festa Italia, of which he was named
the Grand Marshal for the 2010 parade.
Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues in the House of Representatives to
join me in recognizing Mr. Tom DiMaggio for his extraordinary and
celebrated life. As he celebrates his 100th birthday, Mr. DiMaggio
continues to inspire the Central Coast for generations to come. It is
therefore fitting and proper that we honor him today.
____________________