[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 15]
[Senate]
[Page 20913]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO RANDY ATCHER

 Mr. BUNNING. Mr. President, I rise today among my fellow 
colleagues to honor and pay tribute to one of Kentucky's finest 
individuals. Last Wednesday, at the age of 83, Randy Atcher passed away 
in his bed at the Audubon Hospital in Louisville, KY. He had been 
suffering from lung cancer for many years. He will be missed and 
mourned by all.
  Randy Atcher was born in Tip Top, KY in 1918 and from very early on, 
people could see that he was headed for big things. Randy grew up in a 
family of entertainers and musicians. His father played the fiddle, his 
mother the piano, his brother Bob the mandolin, his brother Raymond the 
bass and finally his brother Francis played the guitar. At age 13, 
Randy and his brother Bob were playing their catchy country tunes for 
WLAP radio in Louisville. Before Randy was even out of high school, he 
and Bob had a successful morning show on WHAS radio which aired from 8 
to 8:15 Monday through Friday. He always finished the show with just 
enough time to beat the bell for his first class.
  After graduating from high school, Randy and Bob hit the road 
running, showcasing their musical talents all across the Commonwealth. 
However, this seemingly endless road adventure came to an abrupt halt 
when, in 1941, the Japanese maliciously and without warning bombed 
Pearl Harbor. Shortly thereafter, Randy joined the Army Air Corps, 
serving in such places as Australia, the Philippines and Okinanwa. 
While in the South Pacific, Randy purchased a guitar and played his 
tunes for his fellow soldiers, bringing a little happiness and laughter 
into a very dark and frightening place and time.
  After the war ended, Randy picked up right where he left off in 1941. 
He traveled around the country and worked for radio stations in places 
like Chicago. In 1946, Randy returned to Louisville and remained there 
for the rest of his days.
  Randy Atcher's big break came in 1950 when his old friends at WHAS 
came to him with an idea for a daily TV show for Kentucky's children. 
The show, T-Bar-V, was an instant success and was on the air from March 
28, 1950 until June 26, 1970. Many Kentucky children grew up watching 
this show and learning from the lessons it taught. In many ways, Randy 
Atcher became an integral part of many Kentucky families. He taught the 
children to save their money and to respect their elders. His warmth 
and sincerity were felt by all that tuned in. Throughout its 20 years 
on television, T-Bar-V celebrated 153,000 children's birthdays. When 
the show ended, many children felt as if they had lost their best 
friend.
  Even after the show ended however, Randy couldn't keep the performer 
in him quiet. He sang his songs and entertained children at schools and 
the elderly at nursing homes. He was on the board of the Muscular 
Dystrophy Association and the Dream Factory, a group that grants the 
wishes of gravely ill children. He also recorded books on tape for the 
blind.
  I ask that my fellow colleagues join me in honoring Randy Atcher. He 
devoted his entire life to bringing happiness to the lives of others. 
He represented a code of morality that seems almost lost today. I 
believe we all can learn from his example of caring for and serving 
others.

                          ____________________