[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 15] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page 22034] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]TRIBUTE TO RONALD BONKOWSKI ______ HON. SANDER M. LEVIN of michigan in the house of representatives Tuesday, October 10, 2000 Mr. LEVIN. Mr. Speaker, last Friday, the former Mayor of Warren, Ronald Bonkowski, passed away. His sudden death stunned all of us who knew him and thousands of citizens in Warren and elsewhere in Macomb County who knew him through his service in public office. Today, the date of the funeral for Ron Bonkowski, there appeared in the Macomb Daily a tribute to him, and I insert it into the Congressional Record as a testimonial to his life's work. I know that I express the feelings of my constituents in extending condolences to his wife, Christine, and their four children and his mother, Estelle Bonkowski. Bonkowski Will Be Missed Ron Bonkowski will be missed. By his family, friends and by the political types that take pride at being Warren residents. In the years Bonkowski served the public, from his earliest days on what was then the county board of supervisors, to the Warren City Council and for three terms as mayor of Warren, he did not define his public service as work. ``Politics is an art. First you must love it, and secondly, know when to walk away from the turf of politics,'' he told editors of The Macomb Daily during a visit with the newspaper's editorial board. When word spread through Warren that Bonkowski, 62, had fallen victim to an apparent aneurysm early Friday, the only way to describe the reaction was that across the city, county and state there was an expression of disbelief. The towering Bonkowski had been troubled in recent years with severe back pain, a medical problem that triggered his decision to retire from elective politics. He had recently purchased a winter home in Arizona to escape our bleak winters in favor of the dry, warm climate of the Southwest. Bonkowski's keen financial mind and accounting knowledge proved to be an asset while serving as Warren's full-time mayor, and through the years earned the respect of mayors across the state. He won praise from mayors such as Dearborn Mayor Mike Guido, who while attending a Michigan Week function in Macomb County at the time Bonkowski was serving as mayor, said: ``When I look at Warren's operating budget, and the services its population expects and is getting, you have to admire Bonkowski's financial wisdom at being able to get the best out of every tax dollar.'' During visitation hours at the D.S. Temrowski Funeral Home for the public to pay respect to the former Warren mayor, many who came shared their thoughts openly: ``He was a smart man. And always boasted about the positive image of Warren. We need more Ron Bonkowskis . . .'' Former city attorney Walter Jakubowski, now a 37th District Court judge, said of the many good character traits he learned from the former mayor was ``to be true to yourself and be loyal, and no bull . . .'' And at today's services at St. Martin DePorres, the former mayor will be remembered as a good family man, proud of his Polish heritage, and thankful for having been given the opportunity to serve as the mayor of Warren. We share the community's loss of its former mayor. He was taken from his family and friends at too young an age. But in his length of public service, he accomplished what some politicians just dream of achieving. His booming voice was tempered with love and compassion for the people who called Warren their home. Ron Bonkowski will be missed, but never forgotten for his contributions to the City of Warren. ____________________