[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 4]
[House]
[Page 5566]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    TRIBUTE TO THE HONORABLE JOSEPH P. RODDY OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI

  (Mr. CARNAHAN asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. CARNAHAN. Mr. Speaker, my remarks today are to pay tribute to the 
life of a valued public servant and mentor, the Honorable Joseph P. 
Roddy of St. Louis, Missouri.
  Joe Roddy was associated with Presidents, Congressmen, governors and 
mayors for decades. He lived his life committed to his faith, his 
family, his Democratic Party and his beloved constituents. He never 
lost sight of his belief that elected officials were to serve, and the 
public was to be served.
  Mr. Roddy led his life by example and was a mentor and help to many. 
Whether it was advising a young candidate for office or helping a 
neighborhood family in need, no job was too big or too small for Joe 
Roddy.
  Mr. Roddy was active in the Democratic Party for 60 years, 
particularly in the 17th ward where he was born. He founded the 17th 
ward FDR Club in 1954.
  Mr. Speaker, the outpouring of support by family, friends and the 
community make it evident to all what an extraordinary person and 
public servant Mr. Roddy was. He was married to his wife, Lue Roddy, 
for 50 years. They have four children, Mary, Joe, Daniel and Mark, and 
have seven grandchildren.
  My prayers are with his family, friends and community today as we 
honor his remarkable life.
  Joe Roddy was associated with many Presidents, Congressmen, Governors 
and Mayors for decades. He lived his life committed to his faith, his 
family, his Democratic party and his beloved constituents. He never 
lost sight of his belief that elected officials were to serve, and the 
public was to be served.
  Mr. Roddy led his life by example and was a mentor and help to many. 
Whether it was advising a young candidate for office or helping a 
neighborhood family in need, no job was too big or too small for Joe 
Roddy.
  Mr. Roddy was active in the Democratic Party for over 60 years, 
particularly in the 17th ward where he was born. He founded the 17th 
Ward F.D.R. Club in 1954, where he was a block secretary, treasurer, 
alderman, committeeman, and campaign coordinator of the ward 
organization. In addition to these activities in the 17th ward, he was 
campaign treasurer for the St. Louis Democratic Central Committee for 
14 years, chairman of the 3rd Congressional district for six years, and 
chairman of the St. Louis City Democratic Central Committee for two 
years. He was a delegate to four Democratic national conventions and 
five Missouri Democratic state conventions. In 1994, he received the 
Harry S. Truman Award from the St. Louis City Democratic Central 
Committee, the highest award given to a St. Louis City Democrat. 
Because of his work for the Democratic Party, he was often referred to 
as ``Mr. Democrat.'' Mr. Roddy also served as Circuit Clerk of the City 
of St. Louis and was Administrator-Clerk of the City of St. Louis 
Courts, where he retired in May 1993 after 40 years as a St. Louis City 
office holder.
  As alderman of the 17th ward, Mr. Roddy sponsored and guided to 
passage one of the first municipal laws in the United States that 
treated alcoholism as a sickness instead of a crime. He championed the 
rights of the poor and led a drive that brought surplus food from the 
U.S. government to 64,000 impoverished people in the city of St. Louis. 
Mr. Roddy was instrumental in passing civil rights ordinances in the 
1950s such as the Public Accommodation Law, Open Housing Law, and the 
Fair Employment Act. Mr. Roddy was a main figure in a Federal court 
case that resulted in the Missouri legislative districts being redrawn 
to conform to the one man-one vote United States Supreme Court decision 
that demanded equal representation for legislative districts.
  As circuit clerk, Mr. Roddy was the first to invest the funds of the 
court for interest, which contributed to the general fund of the city 
of St. Louis.
  Mr. Roddy was also active in many civic, business, and church groups 
in addition to his political associations including the Washington 
University Medical Center Redevelopment Corporation Advisory Committee, 
the Adult Rehabilitation Center of the Salvation Army Advisory 
Committee, and the Knights of Columbus.
  He was a strong supporter of organized labor. In his early days of 
employment, he was a member of the Hotel Workers Union, Post Office 
Clerk Union-Local 8, and Teamsters Local 688. He was the only citywide 
office holder ever to have by consent agreement employed union members 
in his office.
  He attended kindergarten at Adams School, went from first grade to 
eighth grade at St. Cronan's School, and won a four-year scholastic 
scholarship to St. Louis University High School where he graduated with 
first honors. He also attended Saint Louis University.
  He was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph J. Roddy and Ann 
Flood Roddy, his brother Paul, and his four sisters Mildred Kutrip, 
Anita Kenkel, Sister Ann Julia Roddy, CSF and Bride Neiman.
  Mr. Speaker, the outpouring of support by friends, family, and the 
community make it evident to all what an extraordinary person and 
public servant Mr. Roddy was. He was married to his wife, Lucille 
``Lue'' Baumann Bey Roddy for 50 years. They have four children--Mary, 
married to Michael Sawyer; Joseph D., married to Lisa Roddy; Daniel, 
married to Patrica Roddy; and Mark Roddy. Joe and Lue have seven 
grandchildren: Steven, William and Kathleen Sawyer; Christina and 
Nicholas Roddy; and Joseph Patrick and Brendan Stuart Roddy. My prayers 
are with his family, friends, and community today, as we honor his 
remarkable life.

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