[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 2]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 2169]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      HONORING STANLEY RONDA, JR.

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MARCY KAPTUR

                                of ohio

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 13, 2008

  Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize Stanley Ronda, 
Jr., of Toledo, Ohio.
  It is with the deepest appreciation that I pay tribute to the long 
life of a good, patient, and kind man, Stanley Ronda, Jr. He lived his 
years in service to his family, friends, and our Toledo community. 
Coming from the working class and of Polish-American heritage, he 
graduated college in architecture in an era when that was a rare 
achievement for a family of their means. Stan was a path breaker.
  He was always generous with his company, his conversation and his 
artistic creations. He greeted every person with a broad smile and a 
laugh. He was an engaging conversationalist and a patient teacher, too. 
He labored to transfer his considerable skills in calligraphy, 
architectural drafting, and model building to all who expressed an 
interest.
  For decades, he worked for the City of Toledo in the Toledo Lucas 
County Planning Commissions, from where he retired. I can still see him 
bent over his light table in the Huron Building preparing the 
architectural and subdivision drawings for cases pending before the 
Commission. He reported to work every day, always wearing a white, 
long-sleeved shirt and held standards of military precision.
  Once, when we worked together on a project, we were assigned to field 
check and map all of Monclova Township, Ohio. That is 16,000 acres. 
Stan and I worked on that for days. I hold many precious memories of 
Stan during that laborious effort.
  Stan never asked anything for himself. He was always creating lovely-
original works for others such as mailings at the holidays or special 
occasions. Each was carefully drawn and colored with his signature logo 
was at the lower left corner--a miniature version of him sitting at his 
drawing table. At Christmas, his logo would wear a tiny Santa hat. On 
his own initiative, Stan drew many beautiful renderings of landmark 
structures in Toledo. When I was elected to office, I commissioned Stan 
to do a rendering of historic churches of Toledo. He gladly accepted 
and this framed achievement always hangs in our Congressional office.
  Though Stan became more fragile with years, he never, ever 
complained. He always welcomed a visitor with that same open smile. 
Stan revered the time he witnessed developments of downtown Toledo like 
the Maumee River Crossing Bridge, the new Ferry Landing, the future 
Marina District and the Mud Hens. He was overjoyed that day to view his 
hometown, to which he had dedicated his working years, building 
forward.
  May God welcome Stan home; a good and faithful servant. May He shower 
him royally with blessings into eternity and bestow upon him a loving 
peace.

                          ____________________