[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 12]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 16316-16317]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      TRIBUTE TO WILLIAM BLOCK SR.

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MARCY KAPTUR

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, July 18, 2005

  Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, Summer 2005 brings the passing of an 
American leader, William Block Sr. A publisher, owner of television 
stations and an advertising distributor, patron of the arts, 
philanthropist and community leader, William Block's imprimatur indeed 
lives large.
  Born in New York City on September 20, 1915, a Yale graduate, Class 
of 1936, and army veteran, William Block Sr settled in Pittsburgh after 
World War II to run the family's newspaper there. His brother managed 
the family's Toledo newspaper. Though he was in charge of the 
Pittsburgh paper, in fact William Block got his start in Toledo, in 
1937 at the family's Toledo Blade newspaper. He learned the business 
through ``apprenticeship'' by working in a variety of departments, but 
the war interrupted his pursuit of reporting.
  While in Pittsburgh, William Block was an active and engaged 
publisher, involved in many community groups. A 1983 survey by the 
Pittsburgh Press listed him as the 14th

[[Page 16317]]

most influential citizen of Pittsburgh. He received honorary doctoral 
degrees from Allegheny College, Point Park College, and Washington & 
Jefferson College. Recognized by the World Affairs Council of 
Pittsburgh and the Health and Welfare Association of Allegheny County, 
in 1996 William Block was awarded the Ralph D. Casey/Minnesota Award of 
the Inland Press Association honoring his sixty years in the newspaper 
business.
  William Block promoted and supported fine arts and the symphony. His 
involvement was deep and commitment pure. He enjoyed music and fine art 
and was passionate about sharing his enjoyment with the community at 
large. Kind, civic-minded and concerned with civil rights, noting that 
``equality of all people is basic to American ideals,'' William Block 
credited his father for instilling a sympathy for people who were 
disadvantage and an interest in addressing injustice.
  William Block Sr. leaves to this life his loving wife of 61 years, 
Maxine; his sons William, Jr and Donald; daughters Karen and Barbara; 
eight grandchildren and two great grandchildren; as well as many 
extended family and friends. Our sympathy to them all.
  An exceptional man of warmth, wit, and insight I was privileged to 
meet, the life of William Block is best summed up in the words of his 
son, William Jr., in the preface to his father's memoirs: ``The William 
Block portrayed here is a man who loves his family, a man of broad 
understanding and diverse interests, chairman of a growing and 
successful communications corporation, a man dedicated for over half a 
century to the highest ideals of journalism, a civic-minded and 
charitable person, and a thoroughly decent human being.'' Our entire 
citizenry remains grateful and knows we have been fortunate indeed that 
his values and talents were applied to build our community, and 
humanity, forward.

                          ____________________