[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 10]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 13875]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          HONORING BETH ASHLEY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. LYNN C. WOOLSEY

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 3, 2009

  Ms. WOOLSEY. Madam Speaker, I rise with pleasure today to honor my 
long-time friend, Beth Ashley, of Marin County, California. Beth is 
retiring from the Marin Independent Journal, IJ, after 35 years of 
passionate and thoughtful writing that has made her a community 
institution.
  Beth's news career began with school newspapers, including editor of 
the Stanford Daily. At the Marin IJ, she has served in many roles, most 
recently as a feature writer. Her columns reflected her immersion in 
many aspects of county life as well as her foreign travels. From Moscow 
during the early years of Glasnost to Afghanistan and Iran, her trips 
tended to focus on the humanitarian struggles in troubled areas of the 
world. Her compassionate heart shines through all her work.
  From raising five sons to serving on nonprofit boards in Marin 
County, Beth has had a very full life in addition to her IJ duties. Now 
83, she writes that ``it's hard to act the intrepid girl reporter, 
especially when I totter a bit when I walk and can hardly see, hear or 
speak coherently to boot.'' But she assures us she has ``loved every 
minute. I only wish I'd done more.''
  Beth has done more in her career than most of us can dream of. The 
community will miss her regular features, but we still expect to see 
her around town enjoying her new adventure--she will be remarrying in a 
few months.
  Madam Speaker, Beth Ashley's work has expressed the heart and soul of 
Marin County. It has been an honor and delight to read her columns and 
to know her as a friend. I wish her the best of luck in her retirement 
and in her new marriage.

                          ____________________