[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 16]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 23086-23087]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                     IN MEMORY OF LOUIS BRATHWAITE

                                 ______
                                 

                     HON. HOWARD P. ``BUCK'' McKEON

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 27, 2001

  Mr. McKEON. Mr. Speaker, I would like to take this opportunity to pay 
tribute to the life and memory of Louis Brathwaite and to acknowledge 
his many contributions to the Santa Clarita Valley. Louis passed away 
in early November after suffering a heart attack.
  He was born on April 25, 1933, in New York City. Louis served in 
management positions with the U.S. Air Force, retiring in 1990 after 38 
years of service. He was also a member of the U.S. Naval Air Reserve 
and in addition, he designed office furniture and sold personal 
computers. Louis moved to the Santa Clarita Valley in 1969 and quickly 
amassed a list of civic accomplishments.
  Always a community activist, Louis was involved in the creation of 
the City of Santa Clarita. He went on to become a planning commissioner 
where he influenced local development decisions. Louis took his 
responsibility as a planning commissioner very seriously and was a 
proponent of environmentally friendly, quality growth as well as a 
wonderful advocate for the arts.
  Louis took an exceptional interest in everything he did. I first met 
him when we served together on the William S. Hart Union High School 
District governing board. I soon discovered he was a man of kindness, 
strength, and integrity.
  Louis was also very involved in the creation of the headquarters of 
the Boys and Girls Club in Newhall. He assisted with the entire 
spectrum of the population. As a board member for the Committee on 
Aging with the SCV Senior Center, he was a driving force to acquire 
senior housing. With any project he was involved with, Louis brought a 
sense of compassion and he always tried to make the world a better 
place.

[[Page 23087]]

  Just prior to his death, Louis completed his autobiography, ``Black 
Man's Job, White Man's World,'' chronicling his accomplished career 
with the federal government at a time when blacks were rarely found in 
positions of responsibility. A man who achieved a tremendous amount in 
life, he was pivotal in bringing the Equal Employment Opportunities Act 
to the United States Navy.
  Louis will be remembered as a kind, caring, and capable man who was 
generous with his time and talents in order to help others. Louis is 
survived by his widow Mary, her daughter, Valerie, his daughter, 
Neshia, their son Louis II, and Grandchildren Kate and Akira.

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