[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 20] [Extensions of Remarks] [Pages 28284-28285] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]IN RECOGNITION OF THE 50TH WEDDING ANNIVERSARY OF CONRAD AND FRANCES C. GASKIN, PHD ______ HON. DONNA M. CHRISTENSEN of virgin islands in the house of representatives Wednesday, October 24, 2007 Mrs. CHRISTENSEN. Madam Speaker, I rise to introduce you and my colleagues to a very special couple who happen to be my cousins. Conrad and Frances are first generation African Caribbean Americans who were born in New York State. The parents and grandparents of Conrad Hail from Guyana, South America, continental United States and Jamaica, West Indies. Frances is rooted in 5 generations of the Christian and Farrelly clans on St. Croix, United States Virgin Islands and Guyana and Nigeria, by enslavement, and also West Meath, Ireland, respectively. The two met while attending St. Augustine's Elementary School in the Bronx, New York. After elementary school Conrad and Frances went on to Bishop Dubois High School for Boys and Blessed Sacrament High School for Girls. Upon graduation he enlisted in the United States Air Force and was honorably discharged 4 years later. He followed in his parent's footsteps. His father, Lionel Gaskin was a Merchant Seaman and prolific mathematician and Lillian his mother, a health care companion and a storytelling humorist. Frances went on to City College of the City University of New York (CUNY), where her father, Clement Christian had graduated several years before, and Fordham Hospital for Registered Professional Nursing, initiated by her mother, Therese, who was a Licensed Practical Nurse and an omniscient resource person. Frances is a second generation graduate from the CUNY system. They were married by Monsignor Cornelius Drew on September 14, 1957 at St. Augustine Roman Catholic Church in the Bronx, New York. Three children were born from this union: Conrad II (1995), Trace, and Troy. Being Catholics, the children received the sacraments at St. Augustine and Most Holy Trinity in Brooklyn, New York. The family continued its affiliation with St. Augustine until immigrating to Brooklyn, New York where Our Lady of Charity became their new Church home under the pastorship of Reverend Doctor James E. Goode, OFM. During the marriage Conrad and Frances reared their children, along with the ``village''; for it takes a Village to raise even 1 child. Their children learned the Montessori Method of Education at the United Nations Church Center, New York and continued their basic education at Most Holy Trinity Elementary School. During the marriage, Conrad and Frances attained undergraduate and graduate degrees. He is an alumnus of Brooklyn College (CUNY) and Antioch University and she earned degrees from Hunter College (CUNY), Adelphi University and Fordham University. Their children were educated at Fordham Prep, New York Brooklyn Technical High School and Cascadilla Prep School in Ithaca, New York and Stuyvesant High School, New York. Conrad II, Trace and Troy went on to graduate from Bates College in Lewiston, Maine; Fordham University and Long Island University, New York, and Xavier University in New Orleans, Louisiana, respectively. A Fordham family tradition was upheld: Trace completed her undergraduate degree, Conrad graduated from Fordham Prep and Troy completed coursework at the University. Trace is a second generation graduate of Fordham. Some overlapping occurred in the family's quest for [[Page 28285]] education: Four family members were in college at 1 time. The children went on to become responsible citizens in banking, education and brokering real estate. Of the marriages, Conrad II; Trace, and Troy united in matrimony with Adrianne; Mario, and Angela who brought forth five grandchildren: Conrad III and Kayla; Soleil Mustafa, and Briana and Troy Ashly II. Briana attends Hunter College High School and is the third generation in the CUNY system. For a career change, Conrad and Frances emigrated from Brooklyn to Albany, New York and helped found an additional Church home in the Faith Community of the Black Apostolate, which later expanded to include St. Joan of Arc and Sacred Heart Churches of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Albany, New York. Father Kofi Ntsiful-Amissah serves as Pastor. The family demonstrated entrepreneurial strengths by starting a skin and hair care business called Frances Christian Gaskin, Inc. Four patents were awarded in the United States for dissolving melanin and placing it into the MELANIN PLUS products. The family enjoys interstate and international travel, exposing their children and grandchildren to strong family values, and other places and cultures in the United States, the Caribbean, and their own children, to Europe. Conrad is retired from The New York State Teachers' Retirement System; Frances is a former College Professor in Nursing and is pursuing her studies in Medicine. Conrad and Frances, recognizing that ``giving back'' is the highest form of service, continue to advise the youth in academics and sports. Conrad coached basketball and swimming. Frances has also worked with the American Red Cross and is a Staff Officer with the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary. Both are Ministers of the Eucharist. They love participating in Church activities and sports, particularly swimming and SCUBA diving. They are also communicants and members of Our Lady Star of the Sea Church and the Polar Bears on Martha's Vineyard, and also members of the Holy Cross Church and the Lil' Bay Posse morning swim on St. Croix. The theme song on their 50th Wedding Anniversary was ``I Believe.'' They are indeed people of faith! We thank God for this special couple and their family and we thank Him for the 50 wonderful years He has given them. I ask the entire Congress of the United States to join me in wishing them many more loving years together and His continued blessings. ____________________