[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 16]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 21562]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 HONORING THE LIFE AND SERVICE OF FORMER SENATOR JOSE ``PING'' ANDRES 
                             RAMIREZ DUENAS

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. MADELEINE Z. BORDALLO

                                of guam

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, September 14, 2009

  Ms. BORDALLO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and 
service of former Guam Senator Jose ``Ping'' Andres Ramirez Duenas, a 
lifetime resident of the village of Dededo, Guam. Senator Duenas passed 
away on August 31, 2009 after a long illness. He was 78.
   Born on October 17, 1930, in Hagatna, Guam, Ping was the oldest of 
four sons of Juliana Ramirez Duenas and Jesus Camacho Duenas. Ping and 
I were classmates at George Washington High School, where we both 
graduated from in June of 1951. On April 19, 1954, in Grand Rapids, 
Michigan, he married his high school sweetheart, Rosario Cruz Perez, 
fondly known as ``Ling''. Ping enrolled in Marquette University and 
later received his bachelor's degree in accounting from St. Thomas 
Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
   After graduation from college, Ping returned home and began his 
twenty-eight year career of public service with the Government of Guam. 
Ping started as an auditor with the Department of Administration before 
being promoted to chief accountant. In 1962, Ping and nineteen others 
joined together to form the Government of Guam Employees Federal Credit 
Union (GGEFCU). From an initial membership of twenty founding members, 
the GGEFCU has grown to over 40,000 members, three branches, and is an 
important resource for financial services to the Government of Guam 
employees.
   Ping sought political office in 1970 and was elected to four 
consecutive terms as a Senator in the 11th, 12th, 13th, and 14th Guam 
Legislature from 1970 to 1978. He served on the Rules Committee; the 
Committees on Finance and Taxation; Federal and Foreign Affairs; and 
Natural Resources, Land and Community Development. He also served on 
the 1975 Legislative Task Force for the review of the federal-
territorial political relationship with its findings to be reported to 
the White House. After serving as Chairman of the Democratic Party of 
Guam, Ping and I joined together as running mates in the 1990 
gubernatorial election. While unsuccessful in our bid for Governor and 
Lieutenant Governor of Guam, Ping would go on to continue his service 
to our community as Vice President of Financial Affairs for the 
University of Guam. While there, he helped in the growth of the 
university and was instrumental in the establishment of the Marine 
Laboratory.
   I join our community in mourning the loss of former Senator Jose 
Ramirez ``Ping'' Duenas. Ping was a good friend of Guam, and he devoted 
his life to serving our people. We extend heartfelt condolences to his 
wife, Rosario ``Ling'' Perez Duenas; his children, Joseph, Daniel, 
Anthony, Gerardlyn, Carina, Thomas, Marcella, and Julienne; his 25 
grandchildren; his 16 great grandchildren; and his many family and 
friends.
   God bless the family and friends of Senator Duenas. He will be 
missed dearly.

                          ____________________