[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 17 (Thursday, January 26, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E55-E56]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       REMEMBERING LEROY ELFMANN

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. TOM EMMER

                              of minnesota

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, January 26, 2023

  Mr. EMMER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of 
LeRoy Edwin Elfmann, who passed away on January 6th of this year.
  From humble beginnings on a dairy farm in Maple Lake, Minnesota, 
LeRoy set out to live a life of service. After graduating from Maple 
Lake High School in 1968, he enlisted in the United States Army. LeRoy 
served in the Army for more than 20 years, and his service took him all 
over the world. After serving his country on deployment in Guam, 
Cambodia, Hungary, and Finland, he was honorably discharged after 
rising to the rank of Chief Warrant Officer 3.
  However, LeRoy's service to his country did not end after his 
military career did. After more than 20 years in the armed forces, 
LeRoy joined the Defense Intelligence Agency. While there, he served as 
a trusted representative of the United States, advocating for our great 
nation around the world on intelligence and security concerns.
  LeRoy was involved in many high-profile intelligence operations, 
including the capture of Ana Montes, a spy who infiltrated the Defense 
Intelligence Agency and spied on behalf of the Cuban government for 17 
years. With LeRoy's help, Ms. Montes was arrested in September of 2001 
and charged with conspiracy to commit espionage. She eventually pled 
guilty and was sentenced to a 25-year prison term. In recognition of 
his more than 36 years of service to the agency, LeRoy was awarded the 
Lifetime Achievement Award by the Director of National Intelligence.
  His distinguished career with the Defense Intelligence Agency took 
him to more than 67 countries. During one of these trips, he met his 
beloved wife, Mary. They were married in Singapore, where they met, in 
February 1977.
  Between overseas trips, the couple made their home in Arlington, 
Virginia until their retirement in 2011. During retirement, Mary and 
LeRoy were heavily involved in their community and stayed active 
through their membership in a square-dancing club in Monticello, the 
County Line Squares. Together, they participated in many square-dancing 
events in Minnesota and attended numerous square-dancing conventions 
around the United States. LeRoy also held multiple leadership positions 
in the state-wide organization, Square Dance Minnesota.
  When they weren't square dancing or traveling together, Mary and 
LeRoy enjoyed spending time on the farm, planting and harvesting crops 
with their nephews. LeRoy also

[[Page E56]]

spent free time organizing and tracing his family's genealogy.
  LeRoy dedicated his life to the service of his country and leaves 
behind a tremendous legacy. He will be dearly missed. We offer our 
sincerest condolences to Mary and the rest of the Elfmann family, and 
pray LeRoy's memory will comfort them during this difficult time.

                          ____________________