[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 80 (Thursday, May 11, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E429]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         HONORING THE FAITHFUL LIFE OF SERVICE OF LARRY SILSBY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ELISSA SLOTKIN

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 11, 2023

  Ms. SLOTKIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a man who 
lived his entire life in quiet, dedicated service to the community he 
so loved, and whose loss we now mourn. Larry Silsby of Mason, Michigan, 
was a consummate public servant, deeply devoted to the principles of 
family, farming, and faith, and a fierce advocate for the interests of 
rural communities across our great state.
  Larry was born on April 18, 1939, and graduated from Mason High 
School in 1957. Just a few years later, he married his wife Judith 
Emens, a love story that would bloom across more than 60 years. 
Together, they raised 3 children, and would go on to become 
grandparents of 8, and great grandparents of 2. As his family tree 
grew, he nourished its many branches through his example of hard work, 
honesty, and his secret recipe for pancakes. Larry cherished his time 
with his family, especially at their cottage on Drummond Island, where 
he loved to hunt for stones and watch the Lake Huron waves roll in.
  But make no mistake about it--Mason was home, and most certainly 
where Larry's heart was. A man of the land, Larry spent more than a 
quarter century working his dairy farm, then continued to lend his 
expertise to the agriculture community as a board member for the 
Michigan Farm Bureau. He also served as a trustee for the Board of 
Education of his alma mater, Mason Public Schools, and was active in 
the local Masonic Lodge. In 1982 he was elected to the Aurelius 
Township Board, and from 1984 until the time of his death in March of 
this year, he served as Township Supervisor.
  It's remarkable enough to hold the same job for nearly 40 years, but 
when that job is to serve the public, it's truly amazing. Larry was 
known for greeting everyone who walked into the township hall as a 
friend, whether they were there to dispute an assessment or inquire 
about a cemetery plot. And It should be noted that this was no cushy 
desk job, at least not for Larry, who was so devoted to his beloved 
community that he was often spotted mowing the grass and pulling weeds 
at the township parks in the mornings, and making sure the gates were 
pulled closed each evening. Perhaps his proudest accomplishment was 
overseeing the creation and opening of a new park, which will now live 
on as a testament to the goodwill he planted everywhere he went.
  Larry was one of the first township supervisors I met when I took 
office in 2019, and someone whose advice I often sought on rural issues 
and perspectives. He dedicated his life to the betterment of the Mason 
area, and served, with no fanfare or spotlight, as the essential link 
connecting people to the services they needed to improve their lives. 
Today we mourn his loss, but we also celebrate the difference he made. 
On behalf of a grateful community, state, and Nation, I honor Larry for 
his faithful public service.

                          ____________________