[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 178 (Thursday, November 17, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6772-S6773]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO KAREN ROETTER

  Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, I congratulate Karen Roetter, who is 
retiring as my regional director in my Coeur d'Alene office. Karen's 
humor, optimism, and dedication are hallmarks of who she is and will be 
greatly missed.
  Karen graduated from the University of Idaho in 1979, with a teaching 
degree, and began teaching at Canfield Middle School in Coeur d'Alene, 
where she taught social studies and physical education and coached 
girls volleyball. Karen is a deeply devoted wife, mother, and 
grandmother to her beautiful family. After 5 years of teaching, she 
left teaching to stay home with her and her husband Matt's three 
daughters: Katie, Andrea, and Tara. Katie and her husband James have a 
son, Jackson. Andrea is married to Blake, and they have two children, 
Layne and Hudson. Tara is married to Shea and has three children, 
Ensley, Ebbet and Ellers.

[[Page S6773]]

  In 1997, Karen took a part-time job with then-U.S. Representative 
Helen Chenoweth, before she, thankfully, came to work for me in 2000, 
doing casework part-time. In 2007, she began working for me full-time 
and was promoted to regional director for the Coeur d'Alene office.
  In the nearly 23 years Karen has served the people of Idaho as a 
valued member of my staff, one of the many projects she has worked on 
has been our annual academy nominations. Her passion for this effort 
shows in the time and attention she devotes to educating about these 
opportunities and identifying and promoting the Idaho students ready 
and willing to attend our country's military academies. The commitment 
shown by the students and the fact they also have a desire to serve 
their country makes them her kindred spirits. Additionally, north 
Idaho, with the decades of cleanup at the Bunker Hill Superfund Site 
and the history of mining and milling in the Silver Valley, has had no 
shortage of land use and natural resources challenges. Karen has faced 
them with warmth, curiosity and a willingness to listen and help the 
rightly concerned people of the affected communities.
  Karen, thank you for your hard work on behalf of Idahoans, and 
congratulations on your retirement. I have greatly enjoyed our 
conversations and valued your dedication to addressing the needs of 
north Idaho. You have also been a wonderful example of grace to all of 
us while facing life's most difficult challenges. On a lighter side, 
many members of the staff have you to thank for introducing them to 
huckleberry milkshakes. May retirement provide you ample time with the 
family you love so dearly, including shuttling your grandchildren to 
activities and the gardening you enjoy. I wish you all the best.

                          ____________________