[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 15998]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    80TH ANNIVERSARY OF MAPE'S RANCH

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                         HON. DENNIS A. CARDOZA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 24, 2003

  Mr. CARDOZA. Mr. Speaker, I rise to commemorate the 80th anniversary 
of Mape's Ranch in Modesto, California.
  Mape's Ranch was founded by E.T. Mape in 1923. The historic 10,000 
acres of farmland and wetlands is nestled against the Stanislaus, 
Toulumne and San Joaquin Rivers, about ten miles west of Modesto. The 
primary crops produced by Mape's Ranch include wheat, corn, almonds, 
watermelons, tomatoes, and plums. The ranch also raises beef cattle, 
and is known as ``The Home Of One-Ton Bulls,'' and has as its famous 
slogan, ``Breed the Best, and Forget the Rest.''
  These days, Mape's Ranch is owned and operated by the nephew of E.T. 
Mape, William ``Bill'' Lyons, Sr., his wife Mary Lynn Houghtaling 
Lyons, and their six children. Bill and Mary Lyons were both born in 
Minnesota, and married in 1949. This third generation family ranching 
business has built itself on family values, hard work, and dedication, 
and is looking forward to celebrating eighty years of active 
involvement with the California agriculture community.
  The Lyons family, encompassing Bill and Mary, their six children, 
twenty-one grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, is recognized 
throughout the state as community leaders. Bill Sr. has been honored 
with the following community awards: Modesto Chamber of Commerce 
President's Award, 1991, the ``Fred Prince Memorial'' Good Egg Award, 
and the Stanislaus/San Joaquin County Cattlemen of the Year Award, 
1984.
  I am honored to personally know each member of the Lyon's family and 
it is with great honor that I commemorate the 80th anniversary of 
Mape's Ranch, a true icon of the Central Valley of California.

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