[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 7]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 9429]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                IN MEMORY OF JONATHAN PATRICK BIGONY II

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. CARRIE P. MEEK

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, May 12, 1999

  Mrs. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in happy memory of 
the late Jonathan Patrick Bigony II, on the third anniversary of his 
birth, which occurred on June 8, 1996. Blue-eyed with black, curly hair 
and a radiant smile, Jonathan was known as ``J.P.'' to his friends, yet 
to his four devoted uncles in the DiGregory Family, he was 
affectionately nicknamed ``Tater.'' He loved to laugh at the kitchen 
table with his Uncle Billy, to watch his Uncle Jimmy working in the 
garden, to play with his Uncle Johnny, and to watch his Uncle Dominic 
prepare detailed meals as a chef. Among J.P's first words were the 
names of his uncles.
  As high spirited and good-natured as he was handsome, J.P. was a 
delight to those who met him. Whenever carrying him on their shoulders, 
his friends and family were prepared for J.P. to flip over backwards in 
laughter. He was the loving son of Jonathan and Marysanta Bigony of 
Bowie, Maryland, and was the younger brother of J.R. Bigony. J.R. and 
J.P. dearly loved each other, and the two boys enjoyed laughing 
together, day and night. Jonathan's loving Godparents were his friend, 
Patty Lowe, and his Uncle Dominic.
  Nothing fascinated J.P. more than when he looked up on a roof one 
beautiful morning in May, 1997, and saw his uncles doing carpentry 
together with his friend, Raymond Lowe. From the high rafters, his 
beloved Uncle Johnny waved to him and his much-loved Uncle Jimmy called 
out an enthusiastic, ``Tater!'' And Jonathan, only 11 months old, 
fearlessly tried to climb the ladder to be with them. He knew what it 
meant to be loved.
  Jonathan enjoyed many of his adventures in the company of his totally 
dedicated grandmother, Mrs. Dorothy McNamara DiGregory, whom he adored 
and who cleverly fashioned a safety-seat for him on her golf cart, so 
that he could accompany her during her strenuous work hours around the 
expansive family property. J.P. loved the outdoors, and he enjoyed 
helping her to do carpentry, to feed the horses and dog, to work in the 
garden, to landscape the lawns, and to trim branches along the creek.
  Jonathan also enjoyed playing games with his loving grandmother, Mrs. 
Gertrude Bigony, of York, Pennsylvania, and with his cousins, Leigha 
and Danielle DiGregory. One of his earliest sentences was, ``Hi, 
Leigha! How ya doing?''
  In honor of the anniversary of Jonathan's birthday, it is a privilege 
to pay tribute to a wonderful child who brought so much joy. Today, the 
memories endure of a smiling J.P., enjoying cookies with his 
grandmother, snuggling on his devoted mother's shoulder, and beaming 
down happily from his Uncle Johnny's strong arms.

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