[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 15354]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              IN HONOR OF FREDERIC ``BUZZ'' EDWARD RAINER

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                             HON. SAM FARR

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, June 7, 2007

  Mr. FARR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor Frederic ``Buzz'' 
Edward Rainer, an exceptional teacher and coach who passed away May 11, 
2007. Buzz lived his life to its fullest and fought with passion. I 
offer his wife Barbara, sons Ted and Scott, and daughter Grace, my 
sincerest condolences.
  Buzz grew up in Claremont, CA, and graduated from Claremont High 
School. He met his wife of 54 years, Barbara, in the 6th grade and they 
were later married in 1952. Buzz attended the University of Southern 
California where he earned a Bachelor's Degree and Master's Degree in 
Education. He was active in sports, especially track, where he set 
school records. After gaining his Master's, Buzz and Barbara moved to 
Carmel, CA, where Buzz began a long and passionate career as a teacher 
and coach. Buzz taught at Carmel High School for 33 devoted years and 8 
years at The York School in Monterey. He coached a range of sports at 
Carmel High including football, track, basketball, and golf.
  Buzz's teaching career was extensive and was not confined to the 
Monterey Bay. In 1963 he took a one year sabbatical to Cambridge 
University in England and later in 1978 he spent a year at the 
University of Edinburgh in Scotland. Taking a 2-year leave of absence 
from Carmel High School in 1967, Buzz taught English at the American 
Community School of Athens in Greece. His love for teaching was truly a 
gift and he was often caught saying ``I never really worked a day in my 
life.''
  He had a passion for using his gift of poetry to motivate school 
spirit and its athletic teams. I remember, during my school years, 
Coach Rainer getting all the ``jocks'' in his class and turning them 
into English majors. He knew how to put passions to words, and meaning 
to learning, that no one ever forgot. He was a teacher who challenged 
students to think and to commit their thoughts to action.
  Not only was Buzz an extraordinary teacher and coach, but he was also 
an involved figure in the community. He was an active member of the 
Diogenes Club, the Knights of the Vine, and the local International 
Club of Carmel. Serving as a volunteer for the Carmel Highlands Fire 
Dept. was just another hobby of Buzz's and he was later appointed to 
their Board of Directors.
  However, Buzz's greatest gift and passion in life was his love for 
literature. He composed hundreds of poems and recited them to his many 
friends. A great accomplishment of Buzz's was having one of his 
beautiful poems published in a book illustrated by Eldon Dedini. He had 
been writing two books as well. One of the books was about the joy he 
received from being a teacher; inspired from hundreds of letters he's 
received from past students describing the impact he's made on them.
  Madam Speaker, Frederic ``Buzz'' Edward Rainer lived a life that we 
can all be envious of. Through his admirable life, our community grew 
greater and stronger with every person that Buzz came in contact with. 
His love of life, and of people, will be remembered by all. Buzz may no 
longer be with us but his memory will carry on in all those whose lives 
that Buzz touched. I am honored to have been able to have had him as my 
coach at Carmel High School and to have known such an extraordinary 
person.

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