[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 148 (Monday, September 23, 2024)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E949-E950]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      APPRECIATING PHILLIP TRULUCK

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JOE WILSON

                           of south carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, September 23, 2024

  Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, as we approach the 
anniversary of the passing of the Florence-born Phillip Truluck on 
October 6, 2022, I am grateful for his contributions to Congress while 
at the House Republican Study Committee and during his long tenure as 
the valued leader of the Heritage Foundation. He is missed.
  The following obituary was published upon his death:

       A son of South Carolina, Phil was born in Florence, South 
     Carolina, on June 18, 1947 and passed away October 6, 2022. 
     He spent his childhood and teenage years in Lake City, where 
     he attended public schools. His beloved mother, Ethel Mason 
     Truluck, taught him American History and famously refused to 
     grant him the well-deserved annual history award for fear of 
     appearing partial. He later went on to earn a B.S. in Finance 
     at the University of South Carolina. His leadership skills 
     were recognized early and he was elected President of Chi Psi 
     fraternity.
       Perhaps to make up for the history award, his mother 
     arranged for Phil to go to Washington and work for then 
     Senator Strom Thurmond--as a driver and envelope stuffer. 
     Cream rose to the top and he went on to work in several 
     congressional offices, as Deputy Director of the House 
     Republican Study Committee and, for over 38 years, as a 
     leader of the Heritage Foundation.
       Along the way, he met, courted and married Ann Wrobleski on 
     January 6, 1979. Mason Martha was born ten years later, 
     followed by twins, Walker Edward and Sutton

[[Page E950]]

     Arthur. Phil liked to say he went from man to man to zone 
     defense in 30 months.
       Phil was a born developer--of people and real estate. As 
     Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Phil 
     managed the day-to-day running of Heritage. An astute policy 
     analyst, strategic leader and gifted executive, Phil ensured 
     the rigorous training and intellectual equipping of a 
     generation of conservative leaders as they passed through 
     Heritage's doors. He claimed many scholars, commentators, and 
     members of Congress as former employees and enjoyed pointing 
     out that so and so ``had been at Heritage.'' Heritage was 
     never far from his thoughts. When called for jury duty and 
     asked if he had any connection to law enforcement, he replied 
     that well, actually, (former Attorney General) Ed Meese 
     reported to him. He was quickly dismissed.
       A frustrated architect and contractor, over the years he 
     initiated and managed the physical transformation of Heritage 
     from a townhouse on Capitol Hill to the block long 250,000 
     square foot complex in the shadow of the Capitol that it is 
     today. Along the way he realized he loved the challenges of 
     acquisition and renovation. During the years when there was 
     no project at Heritage, he put his skills to work in the 
     Washington residential real estate market. He and Ann moved 
     seven times in 37 years--in contiguous zip codes.
       Christmas vacations usually required a passport. He 
     believed traveling together was the best present he could 
     give his family--his favorite trip was floating down the Nile 
     in perfect weather on Christmas day. He also traveled the 
     world to attend meetings of the Mont Pelerin Society and for 
     20 years spent the weekend after New Year's at Sea Island 
     attending The Awakening. The August congressional recess 
     meant several weeks at High Hampton in the western North 
     Carolina mountains. After retirement, he and Ann split their 
     time between beautiful Cashiers, NC, and Charleston, SC. He 
     also took up oil painting, concentrating on landscapes in the 
     mountains and water and marsh scenes from the Low country.
       He was an easy man to like, with a ready smile and a kind 
     heart. His optimism was contagious and he rarely raised his 
     voice. He was kind, gracious and gentle. His integrity was 
     unquestioned and his word was his bond. He was proud of his 
     children for their accomplishments but principally for their 
     character.
       While raised a Southern Baptist, he attended Catholic 
     Church with his family every Sunday, believing that a family 
     should worship together. After the children were grown, he 
     found a home in the Episcopal Church and became a member of 
     the Church of the Good Shepherd in Cashiers. He attended 
     Grace Church Cathedral in Charleston.
       He is survived by his wife, Ann Wrobleski; their children 
     and their spouses Mason (and Hunter), Walker (and Karen), and 
     Sutton (and Ashley); and grandchildren, Halliday and Myers 
     Morris; his sister, Linda (and Ted) and brother, Mason.

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