[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 13]
[House]
[Pages 17590-17591]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   TRIBUTE TO ANTHONY CELEBREZZE, JR.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, tonight I come to the floor with a heavy 
heart because Ohio has lost one of her favorite sons on the 4th of 
July. I have asked for this time to say a few words on behalf of the 
people of our great State on the life of Anthony J. Celebrezze, Jr., 
who died of a heart attack last Saturday at age 61.
  Tony had just finished a heated race in his replica 1937 Chevy at a 
speedway in central Ohio. He loved competition, he loved turning a 
wrench, and he loved getting behind the wheel of his Legends car.
  No one would have known that he came from one of the most 
distinguished political families in Ohio history.
  Tony's father, Anthony J. Celebrezze, was mayor of Cleveland for 5 
years and then served in President John F. Kennedy's cabinet as 
Secretary of what was then called Health, Education, and Welfare.
  Tony was a graduate of John Marshall High School in Cleveland and 
went on to the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1963. He served 5 years in 
the Navy and earned the Naval Commendation Medal.
  He received his law degree from Cleveland State University and 
launched his successful political career in 1974, winning election to 
the Ohio Senate.
  In 1978, he was elected Secretary of State and served one term. In 
1982 he won the election as Ohio's Attorney General and won reelection 
in 1986. Tony was a very popular Ohio figure. He ran unsuccessfully for 
Governor in 1990.
  As Attorney General, Tony Celebrezze won accolades for his efforts to 
protect consumers and the environment. He made our State a better 
place.
  As the Columbus Dispatch noted, what those of us who knew Tony 
remember most about him was his decency, his warmth, and his humanity. 
``Celebrezze,'' the Dispatch said, ``may not have won every race he 
entered, but he was a winner in every way that counted: as a man and as 
a public servant.''
  He will be missed by his fellow Ohioans, as we extend our condolences 
to the Celebrezze family, his widow, Louisa; his 5 children, Anthony, 
III, Catherine, Charles, David, and Maria; his sisters, Jean and Susan 
and their husbands.
  Mr. Speaker, I will enter into the Record this warm tribute that was 
written by the Columbus Dispatch by Michael Curtin, along with a longer 
news story that details the accomplishments of this decent, community-
minded family man whose intellect and good heart raised the character 
of our beloved State.
  As the articles state, as Ohio's chief law enforcement officer, 
Celebrezze negotiated a landmark court judgment against the U.S. Energy 
Department, giving the State the right to regulate nuclear and chemical 
waste at the Feeds Materials Production Center in Fernald, near 
Cincinnati. He also brought the first criminal prosecutions under 
Ohio's hazardous waste laws, expanded consumer protection, and helped 
bring the DARE program to Ohio.
  Mr. Speaker, I know that my time has almost expired, but let me just 
end by saying the words of the Dispatch editorial: ``At a time when 
civility in politics seems virtually nonexistent, Celebrezze is 
remembered fondly by his many friends on both sides of the political 
fence.''

                              {time}  1945

  He understood that politics is a contact sport, but he never adopted 
the win-at-any-cost philosophy that does permanent damage and creates 
permanent enemies.
  Though his death came far too early, the date on which it occurred, 
Independence Day, is fitting considering how much of his life was 
devoted to service to his State and our Nation. Tonight we honor 
American patriot Anthony J. Celebrezze of Ohio.

               [From the Columbus Dispatch, July 6, 2003]

Anthony J. Celebrezze Jr.; Ohio's Former Attorney General Dead of Heart 
                              Attack at 61

                    (By Mike Curtin and Joe Hallett)

       Anthony J. Celebrezze Jr., a former Ohio attorney general, 
     secretary of state and state senator, died Friday night of 
     cardiac arrest. He was 61.
       Celebrezze, a lifelong fan of auto racing and part of a 
     Legends racing crew, was stricken after racing his replica 
     1937 Chevy sedan to a third-place finish at the Shady Bowl 
     Speedway in DeGraff, in southwestern Logan County.
       Legends cars are five-eighths scale, fiberglass replicas of 
     1930s and 1940s NASCAR cars. Celebrezze's car was No. 63, 
     marking the year he graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy.
       Those who knew him best say Celebrezze was happiest when he 
     was around cars and racetracks. After leaving elective office 
     at the end of 1990, he devoted himself more to the sport.
       ``He loved racing through and through. I don't think he 
     would have wanted to go any other way,'' said his son, 
     Anthony J. Celebrezze III. ``He enjoyed the daylights out of 
     it.''
       ``When we were campaigning together and the subject of 
     racing would come up, he could go on and on about the fine 
     points of engines and transmissions and gear reductions,'' 
     recalled Eugene Branstool, who ran for lieutenant governor in 
     1990 when Celebrezze was the Democratic nominee for governor.
       After completing his eight-lap race in a preliminary heat 
     Friday, Celebrezze complained of feeling ill, said Wayne 
     Hill, a family spokesman.
       ``He said he was going to go rest in the truck for a little 
     bit,'' Hill said. A short while later, his racing partners 
     found him dead. Celebrezze had no known history of heart 
     problems, Hill said.
       Celebrezze was pronounced dead about 9 p.m. by emergency 
     medical personnel at the track, said Dr. Joshua Richards, 
     coroner of neighboring Champaign County.
       ``A lot of drivers are going to be upset to hear the 
     news,'' said Tim Williams of Columbus, who competed both with 
     and against Celebrezze on the track.
       ``Everybody liked Tony. Here was a guy who was attorney 
     general and who ran for governor, and yet he would do any 
     task. He would do the grunt work. He quickly became one of 
     the guys because he could talk the language. He knew the 
     technical aspects.''
       Before losing the 1990 governor's race to Republican George 
     V. Voinovich, Celebrezze had risen steadily to become one of 
     Ohio's leading Democrats.
       He began his political run in 1974 by winning election to 
     the Ohio Senate, representing western Cuyahoga County. In 
     1978, he was elected secretary of state, ousting Republican 
     Ted W. Brown, who had held the office for 28 years. In 1982, 
     Celebrezze won his first of two terms as attorney general.
       As Ohio's chief law-enforcement officer, Celebrezze 
     negotiated a landmark court judgment against the U.S. Energy 
     Department, giving the state the right to regulate nuclear 
     and chemical waste at the Feeds Materials Production Center 
     in Fernald, near Cincinnati.
       Celebrezze also brought the first criminal prosecutions 
     under Ohio's hazardous-waste laws, expanded consumer 
     protection and helped bring the DARE program to Ohio.
       He was born into politics--the oldest of three children and 
     only son of five-term Cleveland Mayor Anthony J. Celebrezze 
     Sr. After serving as mayor from 1953 to '62, Celebrezze Sr. 
     was appointed secretary of health, education and welfare by 
     President Kennedy. From 1965 to '96, Celebrezze Sr. was a 
     judge of the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals.
       Paul Corey, a former teacher at Newton D. Baker Junior High 
     School in Cleveland, remembers the young Celebrezze ``being 
     badgered all the time if the garbage wasn't being picked up'' 
     while his father was mayor.
       ``Tony was a beautiful human being,'' said Corey, who now 
     lives in Columbus. ``What you see was what you got. He was a 
     good, very quiet, well-mannered young man.''
       Celebrezze graduated from John Marshall High School and 
     entered the U.S. Naval Academy, graduating in 1963. He served 
     five years of active duty and earned the Naval Commendation 
     Medal. For many years thereafter, he served as a captain in 
     the U.S. Naval Reserve.
       Celebrezze earned a master's degree in 1966 from George 
     Washington University and a law degree in 1973 from Cleveland 
     State University.
       In June 1965, he married Louisa Staton Godwin of 
     Williamson, N.C. They met while

[[Page 17591]]

     both worked at the U.S. Department of Defense. They are the 
     parents of five children: Anthony J. Celebrezze III of 
     Columbus; Catherine Celebrezze of New York City; Charles 
     Celebrezze of Plantation, Fla.; David Celebrezze of Leesburg, 
     Va., and Maria Celebrezze of Columbus.
       Mrs. Celebrezze, a licensed social worker, is known for her 
     knowledge and appreciation of classical music. ``We have an 
     agreement,'' her husband said in 1999. ``I don't go to her 
     operas, and she doesn't go to the races.''
       ``Actually, he did go to some of those (operas and 
     concerts),'' Celebrezze's oldest son said. ``And she (his 
     mother) went to a number of his races, although the only 
     thing she knew was that they were going around in a circle.''
       Throughout his political career, Celebrezze had no closer 
     associate and friend than his chief of staff, William H. 
     Chavanne. They met in 1974, when Chavanne worked on 
     Celebrezze's state Senate campaign.
       ``I think he'll be remembered as somebody who was always 
     concerned about doing a good job. He was hardworking and 
     smart. He tried to never leave a job undone.''
       Voinovich said Celebrezze's industriousness impressed 
     Republicans and Democrats: ``The thing that impressed me was 
     that he was so conscientious with the work he did in state 
     government.''
       Voinovich said he also noticed that Celebrezze, after 
     leaving government, continued to work for community and civic 
     causes.
       Since 1991, Celebrezze has practiced law. For the past two 
     years, he practiced with the Columbus firm of Kegler Brown 
     Hill & Ritter. He founded the firm's national regulatory and 
     government-affairs area and was active in administrative law.
       Celebrezze ``was a true mentor. He took a lot of younger 
     people under his wing,'' said law partner Kevin Kerns. ``He 
     also was a friend, a tremendously loyal individual.''
       James M. Ruvolo, Ohio Democratic chairman from 1983 to '91, 
     said much of Celebrezze's political success stemmed from 
     being genuine.
       ``Tony was a decent guy, and that came across,'' Ruvolo 
     said. ``In politics, you run into people you respect, but you 
     don't often run into people you respect and like. People 
     respected and liked Tony.''
       Besides his wife and children, Celebrezze is survived by 
     his sisters, Jean Porto of Chevy Chase, MD., and Susan 
     Sullivan of Boston.
       Calling hours in Columbus will be 4-8 p.m. Monday at 
     O'Shaughnessy Funeral Home, 405 E. Town St. Calling hours in 
     the Cleveland area will be 4-8 p.m. Tuesday at Corrigan's 
     Funeral Home, 20820 Lorain Rd., Fairview Park.
       A funeral Mass will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday in St. 
     John Cathedral in downtown Cleveland. Burial will be in Holy 
     Cross Cemetery.
                                  ____


               [From the Columbus Dispatch, July 6, 2003]

                               Obituaries

       Anthony J. Celebrezze, Jr., age 61, died Friday July 4, 
     2003. Preceded in death by his parents Anthony J. and Anne 
     Celebrezze. Survived by his wife of 38 years, Louisa (Godwin) 
     Celebrezze; children and their spouses, Anthony and Stephanie 
     Celebrezze III, Catherine Celebrezze, PhD and Blake Baxter, 
     Charles Celebrezze, David Celebrezze and Maria and Jim 
     McBride; sister and brothers-in-law, Jean and Ben Porto of 
     Washington, DC and Susan and David Sullivan of Boston, MA; 
     nieces and nephews. He was an attorney with Kegler, Brown 
     Hill & Ritter. Graduate of John Marshall High School, the 
     U.S. Naval Academy and Cleveland State University Law School. 
     Served in the Ohio Senate, as Ohio Secretary of State and as 
     Ohio Attorney General. The family will receive friends at the 
     O'Shaughnessy Funeral Home, 405 E. Town St. Monday 4-8 p.m., 
     where prayers will be offered at 8:00 p.m. Further visiting 
     hours at the Corrigan Funeral Home, 20820 Lorain Road, 
     Fairview Park, OH Tuesday 4-8 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial 
     St. John Cathedral, Cleveland, OH, Wednesday at 11:00 a.m. 
     Interment at a later date in Holy Cross Cemetery, Cleveland. 
     The family would welcome contributions to the US Naval 
     Academy Class of 1963 Foundation, P.O. Box 64740, Baltimore, 
     MD 21264-4740 or the Celebrezze Endowment Fund, Development 
     Office, Ohio Northern University, 525 S. Main St., Ada, OH 
     45810-9989.
                                  ____


               [From the Columbus Dispatch, July 8, 2003]

  Anthony J. Celebrezze Jr.; Former Ohio Attorney General Served His 
                State and Nation With Honor and Decency

       Some sense of Anthony J. Celebrezze Jr.'s, impact on Ohio 
     can be found in the electronic archive of The Dispatch, where 
     a search for his name produces more than 1,800 citations.
       As a state senator, Ohio secretary of state and Ohio 
     attorney general, Celebrezze played an influential part in 
     Ohio's history between 1974 and 1990.
       But only a few of those many news stories dealt with what 
     people remember most about Celebrezze, who died of cardiac 
     arrest on Friday at age 61: his decency, warmth and humility.
       At a time when civility in politics seems virtually 
     nonexistent, Celebrezze is remembered fondly by his many 
     friends on both sides of the political fence. He understood 
     that politics is a contact sport, but he never adopted the 
     win-at-any-cost philosophy that does permanent damage and 
     creates permanent enemies.
       Though his death came far too early, the date on which it 
     occurred--Independence Day--is fitting, considering how much 
     of his life was devoted to service to his state and the 
     nation.
       After high school, he entered the U.S. Naval Academy, where 
     he graduated in 1963. He spent five years in active duty and 
     many more as a captain in the Naval Reserve.
       Choosing a political career like his father, former 
     Cleveland Mayor Anthony J. Celebrezze Sr., the younger 
     Celebrezze entered public service with his election to the 
     state Senate in 1974 and continued with one term as Ohio 
     secretary of state and two as attorney general. In the latter 
     office, he expanded state regulations of the environment, 
     cracked down on polluters and enhanced consumer protections.
       He was one of the state's leading Democrats when he lost a 
     hard-fought campaign against George V. Voinovich in the 1990 
     governor's contest.
       Since then, Celebrezze had devoted himself to his law 
     practice and to his beloved hobby, racing Legends cars. He 
     had just placed third in a race at Shady Bowl Speedway near 
     DeGraff when his fatal heart attack occurred.
       Celebrezze may not have won every race he entered, but he 
     was a winner in every way that counted, as a man and as a 
     public servant.

                          ____________________