[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 152 (2006), Part 9]
[House]
[Page 11648]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 IN MEMORIAM TO DAVID HANSBERGER, FOR HIS CIVIC LEADERSHIP IN YUCAIPA 
                               CALIFORNIA

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JERRY LEWIS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, June 16, 2006

  Mr. LEWIS of California. Mr. Speaker, I would like today to express 
my sadness at the passing of a friend, David Hansberger of Yucaipa, 
whose civic leadership helped guide this growing community to cityhood 
and set it on a course to become a highly-desired destination city in 
my California district. Mr. Hansberger passed away this week, and all 
of his friends will feel the loss.
  David Hansberger is a native of Redlands, my hometown, and received 
all of his education in our area. As he grew up, the Inland Empire also 
grew, from a semi-rural group of small cities to a population 
powerhouse--one of the largest urban growth areas in the United States. 
That we have been able to remain a fabulous place to live is a credit 
to local leaders like David Hansberger and his brother, Dennis, who is 
now a San Bernardino County Supervisor.
  His public service career actually began in the Coast Guard, where he 
served 8 years and became a First Class Petty Officer and received the 
Honor Man Award. When he returned to San Bernardino County, he became a 
leader in a number of our local industries: Owner-operator of Snow-Line 
Orchards for 13 years; manager of Tri-City Concrete and Perris Ready-
Mix; Realtor for Hansberger-Teeters and Emerich and Company, and 
finally the District Manager of the Inland Empire Resource Conservation 
District, protecting the natural assets of the growing area.
  David applied this intimate knowledge of how San Bernardino County 
ticked to his civic activities. He served on hospital and charity 
boards, and was very active in the Jaycees, ultimately becoming a 
District Governor for that group. He was very popular as a caller at 
auction events for charities, and was given credit for dozens of 
extremely successful fund-raisers for groups over the years.
  Perhaps David Hansberger's largest contribution, however, was in 
helping guide the citizens of Yucaipa into cityhood. This booming area 
in the foothills on the east side of San Bernardino Valley had made 
four attempts at incorporation by the mid-1980s, and the lack of 
success had caused deep divisions in the community.
  Mr. Hansberger took over as president of the Yucaipa City 
Incorporation Committee, and is widely credited with smoothing the 
rivalries and disagreements. Yucaipa voters finally voted to 
incorporate in 1989, and the city has grown to a population of 47,000. 
David Hansberger became a charter member of the city planning 
commission, and helped set a tone of top-quality home development that 
has made the city a beautiful place.
  The friends of David Hansberger are legion--indeed, most people who 
knew him would say he never let anyone be a stranger for long. His 
genuine concern and compassion drew people to him, and he welcomed them 
as friends.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask you and my colleagues to join me in expressing 
condolences to Mr. Hansberger's wife of 41 years, Sheila, and his 
children, grandchildren, parents and siblings. I ask you to join me as 
well in celebrating his wonderful contributions to making his 
community, and our world, a friendlier and more livable place.

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