[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 10]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 14223]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   IN HONOR OF EDNA AND WALT MINNICK

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BETSY MARKEY

                              of colorado

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 27, 2010

  Ms. MARKEY of Colorado. Madam Speaker, I rise today to speak in 
tribute of Edna and Wayne Minnick, two constituents of the Fourth 
Congressional District who exemplify the fulfillment of the American 
dream and who chose to give back to their community in ways that will 
last for generations.
  Edna Minnick was born in 1916 in Springfield, Colorado, and passed 
away in 2009 at 92 years of age. She loved Baca County, and although 
she spent the middle part of her life in other places, Baca County was 
her home.
  Wayne was born in 1913 in Oswego, Kansas and developed a love for 
farming. During the Depression, Wayne moved to Colorado, where he met 
and married Edna in 1939. They were married for 54 years, until Wayne's 
death in 1993. Visits to Edna's family ranch in the 1940s, a homestead 
five miles west and two miles north of Springfield, revealed Wayne's 
farming potential. The couple moved to California prior to WWII where 
Wayne worked as an electrical engineer. When drafted into the Army Air 
Corps during the war, he instructed aircraft mechanics and 
electricians. The electrical trade followed on his return to Colorado, 
putting many miles of lines through the Colorado mountains. However, 
the old love of farming prevailed, and in 1957 Wayne rented a portion 
of his mother-in-law's Baca County farm. The Minnicks purchased the 
farm in 1963 and worked the farm on weekends until Wayne could retire 
from the electric business. This required endless hours of nighttime 
labor, tractor driving, and commuting time between Colorado Springs and 
Baca County. Both Wayne and Edna loved wheat farming and trying new 
ideas.
  Edna had great admiration for her family and the homesteaders who 
settled in Baca County, and she wished to preserve and honor their 
contributions and lives in Baca County. She wished to contribute to the 
preservation of Baca County history and help fulfill present and future 
needs of Baca County, Springfield and their citizens. She was a shrewd 
businesswoman, and during the years in Colorado Springs, she purchased 
real estate surrounding her home and built rental duplexes. She used 
much of the income to support her deep interests in child and youth 
welfare, rehabilitation and care.
  Upon her death, Edna left her considerable estate to Baca County. 
Community recipients of this estate include many scholarship funds for 
area youth; improvements to the Baca County Fairground and a new 
community building; Cancer and Parkinson's research; the Baca County 
Food Bank; the Salvation Army; area FFA Buildings; improvements to the 
Springfield movie theatre and swimming pool; renovations to the 
Courthouse, Methodist Church, and Walsh Community Center; needed 
projects on area cemeteries; Clubhouse for the Blue Rose Ranch Horse 
Rescue; Springfield school milk fund, substantial Hospital improvement 
projects; and many more.
  The Minnicks have truly been a blessing to Baca County. I am honored 
to remember them today and to have their contributions and generosity 
recorded in the Congressional Record.

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