[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 3]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 4085-4086]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




           IN HONOR AND REMEMBRANCE OF EDWARD E. KOTECKI, JR.

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. DENNIS J. KUCINICH

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 12, 2003

  Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in honor and remembrance of 
Edward E. Kotecki, Jr., beloved father, grandfather, great-grandfather, 
brother and friend to many.
  As the retired CEO of century-old Kotecki Monuments of Cleveland, a 
company founded in 1896 by his grandfather, Mr. Kotecki combined his 
sharp business abilities with his great artistic talents to create 
exquisite, critically acclaimed shrines and sculptures displayed in 
churches, religious centers and cemeteries in Cleveland, and around the 
world.
  With a commitment to the highest level of artistry, Mr. Kotecki 
traveled in search of the finest master sculptors. His search took him 
to Italy, Poland and Romania, and he personally sponsored each artist 
during their stay in the United States. Additionally, Mr. Kotecki 
blazed the trail for a new process of creating sculptures. From his 
European counterparts, Mr. Kotecki introduced to America a sculpting 
machine that created three-dimensional sculptures in a fraction of the 
time it would normally take.

[[Page 4086]]

  During his tenure, Kotecki Monuments created a symphony of granite 
along the terrace of the Cleveland Museum of Art; assisted in the 
polishing of the Hubble Telescope; and worked alongside Cleveland steel 
mills in fabricating granite skid caps. Moreover, Mr. Kotecki 
consistently displayed a generous spirit and kind heart. He directed 
the Cleveland Police Officers Peace Memorial, and had the names of 
fallen officers inscribed at no charge to families. Additionally, Mr. 
Kotecki regularly donated labor and materials for the restoration of 
damaged Cleveland cemetery monuments.
  Mr. Speaker and Colleagues, please join me in honor and remembrance 
of Edward E. Kotecki, Jr.--business leader, beloved father, 
grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, and friend and mentor to many. 
Although Mr. Kotecki will be deeply missed, his vision, life and legacy 
will live on forever, like the granite angel whose wings rise forever 
against the Cleveland sky.

                          ____________________