[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 15]
[Senate]
[Pages 19965-19966]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        TRIBUTE TO KEVIN A. POPE

 Mr. DODD. Mr. President, I rise to pay tribute to Kevin A. 
Pope, of Waterford, Connecticut, who passed away on July 14, 2003 at 
the age of 53.
  I join all those who knew Kevin Pope in expressing my sadness at his 
untimely passing, and extending my deepest sympathies to his wife 
Donna, their two sons Jeffrey and Jason, their grandchildren, and 
Kevin's entire family.
  In an age when so many of us move around from place to place, Kevin 
was a true Connecticut son--he was born in our state, grew up there, 
got married and raised children there, and lived there until his 
unexpected passing last week.
  Kevin was a devoted husband and father to his two sons and was a 
vital member of the Waterford community. He was especially active in 
youth sports in Waterford, coaching Little League and Babe Ruth 
baseball and Preteen Basketball, umpiring baseball, softball, and 
basketball games, and working with the ``Chain Gang'' at Waterford High 
School football games. He was also a member of the Waterford Democratic 
Town Committee and the New London Lodge of Elks, and was the president 
of the New London Central Labor Union.
  I met Kevin through his association with the International 
Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, where, since 1990, he 
was a Grand Lodge Representative serving not only Connecticut, but New 
York, New Jersey, and all of New England. I am grateful for all of the 
occasions that we had to work together, and I especially appreciate the 
support he gave me over the years.
  Kevin was a loyal union man since joining the IAM while working for 
General Dynamics in 1969. He earned respect throughout Connecticut and 
the Northeast for standing up for the rights and interests of workers. 
He was known as a good leader, and a skilled and effective negotiator 
as well. There are so many people in factories across the Northeast, 
and nationwide, who have never met Kevin Pope, but their lives are 
better off today because of his efforts.
  Kevin represented the best of the State of Connecticut. I know I 
speak for a great many people in Connecticut when I say that he was 
taken from us much too soon.
  Once again, my thoughts and prayers go out to Kevin's family, his 
friends, and his colleagues. We will all miss him very much.

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