[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 130 (Thursday, July 27, 2023)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E733]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  HONORING THE LIFE OF ALEX VELASQUEZ

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. J. LUIS CORREA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 27, 2023

  Mr. CORREA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Alex 
Velasquez, a member of the Greatest Generation, a man who captured the 
essence of the American Dream and touched the lives of so many people 
in his community.
  Alex was born during the Great Depression. He grew up in a single 
parent household and supported his mother and sisters at a very early 
age. He went from being a bellman, to an usher at a movie theater, to 
then enlisting in the Navy at the age of 18.
  After being honorably discharged in 1946, Alex continued his spirit 
of the American Dream in pursuing barbering. His barber shop that he 
opened in 1954 continues to hold its legacy today, holding much more 
meaning than just a simple hair cut to his clientele. His barber shop 
was the center of chisme in Santa Ana.
  Alex was a man of honor, service, and of inspiration to all young 
Americans with big dreams. He passed away on February 6, 2023. Alex was 
97 years old.
  Mr. Speaker, please join me in celebrating the life of Alex 
Velasquez. May he forever rest in peace.

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