[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 89 (Thursday, May 25, 2023)]
[House]
[Page H2607]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        MOMENT OF SILENCE IN MEMORY OF THE HONORABLE TOM SAWYER

  (Ms. KAPTUR asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute.)
  Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I rise today, along with our Ohio Buckeye 
colleagues, to solemnly honor a former colleague and well-regarded Ohio 
public servant, Congressman Tom Sawyer, from the city of Akron. Sadly, 
Tom passed away this week, on May 23, 2023, at 77 years of age, after 
prolonged illness.
  Our hearts and prayers go out to his beloved wife, Joyce, cherished 
daughter Amanda, their family and friends, and all people with whom Tom 
worked and served.
  Tom was a dedicated public servant, very dignified and steady, a 
measured and enlightened man. He attained many elected positions as a 
senior officeholder, serving in broad-ranging capacities at the local, 
State, and national levels for 40 years.
  Prior to Congress, he was elected as a member of the Ohio House of 
Representatives. He was elected mayor of Akron in 1983 and then was 
elected to Congress in 1987, serving 16 years, a total of eight terms, 
until 2003.
  Tom was very passionate about education. He dedicated his honorable 
service on behalf of the people of Akron, of Ohio, and of the American 
public at large.
  Following his congressional service, he served on the Ohio State 
Board of Education and then for nearly a decade more in the Ohio 
Senate.
  Together, let us celebrate the life of Tom Sawyer, honorable public 
servant, loyal son of Ohio, and enlightened man with a fine mind, an 
easy, broad smile, and a mellow voice of certitude.
  Now, please let me yield to our new Ohio colleague from Akron, Ohio, 
Congresswoman Emilia Sykes, to share her recollections and words about 
her hometown predecessor, the Honorable Tom Sawyer.
  Madam Speaker, I yield to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Mrs. Sykes).
  Mrs. SYKES. Madam Speaker, today, we honor a former Member of this 
body, a lifelong servant to the people of Akron and Summit County, and 
my friend, Tom Sawyer.
  Tom died this week following a long illness, and I first want to 
extend my sincere and deepest sympathies to his wife, Joyce, his 
daughter Amanda, and all who knew and loved him.
  In 1986, then-city of Akron Mayor Tom Sawyer launched his campaign 
for Congress. A constituent shared with me that my father was at that 
announcement, but he had to leave early to meet my mother, who was at 
the hospital after she had just delivered me. We were on our way home.
  Tom was the last person from Akron to serve in this body of Congress, 
and I am honored to follow in his footsteps and his legacy as a Member 
of Congress from the city of Akron, the Birthplace of Champions, of 
course.
  Tom was born and raised in our hometown of Akron, and he dedicated 
his life to our community through nearly 50 years of service, including 
as an English teacher, mayor of Akron, State representative, State 
school board member, and Congressperson serving in this Chamber.
  A proud graduate of Buchtel High School and the University of Akron, 
Tom was a champion for our school system and made it his mission to 
ensure every student in northeast Ohio had access to high-quality 
education and an opportunity to succeed.
  While we were members of the Ohio State legislature, I had the 
opportunity to work alongside Tom to represent the city of Akron and 
watched his commitment to the people of our community. He was a staunch 
advocate for Medicaid expansion, our public schools, and ending 
partisan gerrymandering.
  In fact, Tom and I were also neighbors. We lived on the same street, 
and we served each other in the legislature, yet we were represented by 
two different Members of Congress.

  I will sincerely miss my friend, my mentor, my neighbor, and a true, 
dedicated public servant, Tom Sawyer.
  Without a doubt, former Congressman Sawyer left a mark on Akron, the 
State of Ohio, and this country. His impact will always be felt in 
these Halls and the city of Akron and across the country.
  Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I now ask our House colleagues to join us 
in a moment of silence to remember our former colleague, Tom Sawyer.

                          ____________________