[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 4]
[House]
[Pages 4902-4903]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1345
  CONGRESSIONAL MEMORIAL CERTIFICATE OF RECOGNITION PRESENTED TO THE 
                  FAMILY OF CHARLES COOPERI' THORNTONA

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Watson) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. WATSON. Mr. Speaker, tomorrow, April 4, will mark the date that 
Martin Luther King departed and went for his just rewards. I have a 
theory that messengers are sent to Earth to make us better human 
beings. And if you go back in history, Jesus Christ left early in his 
thirties, the Kennedy brothers left early in their thirties, and Martin 
Luther King, after he had done his work, left us.

[[Page 4903]]

  And so we are very fortunate to be able to participate in a service 
today honoring the 40th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin 
Luther King, Jr.
  I would like to pay tribute to someone from the State of California 
who can be described as a ``diamond in the sky.''
  Charles Thorntona left this Earth about 2 weeks ago, and I presented 
his family with a Congressional Memorial Certificate of Recognition:
  ``Whereas he was preceded in death by parents Polly and Jimmie 
Thorntona and godson Gary Parker.
  ``Whereas he leaves behind lifelong soul mate Christine; children 
Kishaun and Charles Thorntona, Victoria and Aurea Smith and Chris Bale; 
grandsons DeAndre and Jaydn; and siblings Jim, Sandra, Pamela, and 
Timothy Thorntona and also Debra.
  ``Whereas, as a musician, artist, and coach, Charles touched many 
lives. A big-hearted father figure who thrived on making others happy. 
A legend, never to be forgotten.
  ``Be it resolved that Charles Thorntona be immortalized as a 
humanitarian, who shared his life to make it better for his fellow man 
and left an outstanding lasting legacy for his family and friends. May 
he rest in peace.''
  And may I just share a poem that was written called ``A Diamond in 
the Sky,'' and it's a tribute from his brothers Jim and Tim and also 
written by Alice Holmes McKoy:

     Stand and take a bow;
     As you leave us for the pureness of heaven,
     You have left us in this mist of life;
     What becomes a legend most . . . you, my brother;
     The one who reached out to everyone.
     You chose to engage to interact to love;
     Sharing and caring, never too busy to do.
     Why you? The original rock of our world has been called to 
           your eternal rest with the Lord;
     You were supposed to let me know these things in advance . . 
           . after all,
     I am your brother . . . but it's all right;
     As you sit with Jesus, Mom, Dad, and young Gary,
     Man, know that you will always be loved and appreciated; and 
           as I look into the sky tonight . . .
     I see you . . . a diamond in the sky.

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