[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 67 (Thursday, April 16, 2026)]
[Senate]
[Page S1818]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                  REMEMBERING WILLIAM ``BILL'' LUNNEY

  Ms. BALDWIN. Mr. President, I rise today to honor the life and work 
of Mr. William ``Bill'' George Lunney, a beloved and passionate leader 
in the Dane County, WI, parks and conservation community. Bill served 
for 30 years as chair of the Dane County Park Commission, where he made 
a tremendous and lasting impact on our outdoor spaces. Our community 
mourns his loss, and his contributions will be remembered for 
generations to come.
  Bill was born in 1941 in Goshen, NY. He attended the University of 
North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he earned a bachelor of arts in 
political science and his law degree. After graduation, Bill moved to 
Madison, WI, where he began a 57-year career dedicated to environmental 
stewardship and public service.
  Bill's career began with a variety of roles in the Wisconsin State 
court system. He was elected to the Dane County Board of Supervisors in 
1969, and his passion for public service was evident early on in his 
career. While serving on the Dane County Board, Bill emerged as a 
leading local conservation champion. He spoke at our Nation's first 
Earth Day celebration in 1970 at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
  Recognizing that conservation requires both public and private sector 
leadership, he cofounded the Wisconsin Wetlands Association. The 
organization played a vital role in protecting natural areas from 
development and ensuring responsible stewardship of existing lands. 
Bill's leadership was instrumental in safeguarding Madison's wetlands 
and advancing conservation efforts across the region.
  While serving as chair of the Dane County Park Commission, Bill, 
alongside his wife Judie Pfeifer, cofounded the Foundation for Dane 
County Parks and went on to serve as its president. Together, they 
built a permanent endowment to support and sustain Dane County Parks 
for generations to come.
  By the end of his tenure, Dane County parkland had grown from 3,500 
acres to more than 18,000 acres, a remarkable expansion driven in large 
part by Bill's leadership and his ability to inspire others to value 
conservation. In recognition of his life's work, Bill will be inducted 
into the Wisconsin Conservation Hall of Fame this April, an honor that 
both excited and humbled him.
  Above all, those who knew Bill best say he always put his family 
first. He was a loving husband, son, father, and grandfather. Bill's 
legacy is reflected not only in the land he helped preserve, but in the 
people he inspired. Known for his encouragement and curiosity, he left 
an indelible mark on the conservation community through his steady 
leadership and vision.
  Bill often repeated the mantra, ``A park is not just a piece of land, 
it is a vibrant part of the community.'' The Madison area is better 
because Bill himself was such a vibrant part of that community. I am 
deeply grateful for Bill's lasting impact on preserving our natural 
environment. His work will continue to benefit the Madison community 
and will live on in those he inspired throughout his service to Dane 
County.

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