[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 14]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 19076]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      HONORING JOHN R. OLIVAS, JR.

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. MARILYN N. MUSGRAVE

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                     Wednesday, September 22, 2004

  Mrs. MUSGRAVE. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to the memory of 
John R. Olivas, Jr., an outstanding young man from Johnstown, Colorado, 
who tragically lost his life at a young age.
  John was born Aug. 23, 1985, in Loveland to his loving parents, John 
R. Olivas, Sr., and Christine T. ``Tina'' (Quintana) Olivas.
  John graduated from Roosevelt High School, where he was on the 
student council and he was a four-year letterman on the varsity 
wrestling team, and won the State Championship in 2003. He was 
currently attending the University of Northern Colorado in Greeley, and 
he was also a member of the UNC wrestling team. He was also currently 
working for Affordable Painting in Fort Collins.
  John loved being with his family and they loved being with him. John 
lived a full life and he enjoyed fishing, spending time with his 
friends, clubs, watching movies, snowboarding, and wrestling. He had 
one sister, Danielle, 16, who is currently attending Roosevelt High 
School. She is very active in volleyball.
  He was known as a ``good kid'' who did a lot of favors for people and 
he asked for no recognition. He loved to play with kids, including his 
cousins and young wrestlers. The younger kids that wrestled looked up 
to John, and saw him as a hero. It was nothing for him to stop by their 
house to make them feel special. John was a very selfless person and 
would do anything for anybody.
  Wrestling was one of John's passions, and he had dreams of becoming a 
wrestling coach some day. Many shared that dream with him and knew he 
would be able to inspire many wrestlers and help them excel. John began 
wrestling at the young age of five. His dad used to wrestle and was a 
volunteer coach. His dad got him involved, taking him to wrestling 
matches, and he began to really like it. From that time on, wrestling 
was a big part of his life. John's parents were supportive of this and 
attended match after match and basked in their son's extraordinary 
talent and discipline.
  Survivors are his parents, John R. and Tina Olivas of Johnstown; a 
sister, Danielle Olivas of Johnstown; his grandparents, Felix and Viola 
Quintana of Johnstown and Mary Martinez of Loveland, step-grandfather 
Joe Martinez of Loveland; and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins. The 
loss his friends and family feel is tremendous and he will be sorely 
missed. John will always be present in their hearts.
  It is my honor to pay tribute to John Olivas, Jr.'s life on the floor 
of the United States House of Representatives. May God bless all those 
who mourn his passing. May God comfort them in the days and years to 
come.

                          ____________________