[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 10]
[House]
[Page 14458]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




             HONORING BARBERTON POLICE CHIEF MICHAEL KALLAI

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Sutton) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. SUTTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart to honor the 
life and service of Barberton Police Chief Michael Kallai. On June 30, 
Chief Kallai suffered a fatal heart attack while vacationing in 
Tennessee with his family.
  Chief Kallai was a committed public servant, a 32-year veteran of the 
Barberton Police Department, serving the last 13 years as police chief.
  But, most importantly, he was the loving and devoted husband of 35 
years to his wife, Jennifer, and the proud father of four--Michael, 
Jr., Joe, Zak and Vanessa.
  Chief Kallai was also very proud to be an assistant wrestling coach 
at Wadsworth High School for the past 19 years.
  He was born in Barberton, Ohio, and lived in the area all of his 
life, and he touched the lives of people all across our community with 
his outgoing spirit.
  Chief Kallai was known as a cop's cop and a true professional. His 
death was a shock to his family and the City of Barberton and the 
numerous communities throughout Ohio which he touched.
  Over the past weeks, we have seen just how much he meant to so many. 
Though he was soft spoken, Mike had a commanding presence and was very 
well respected and, as the hardest worker on the force, helped every 
service department in Barberton in some way or another.
  So much love was felt for the chief throughout the community that 
over 100 former and present wrestlers, who were coached by Chief 
Kallai, were in attendance at his funeral. Police officers stood at 
attention outside the church in sweltering heat. The sea of blue 
uniforms was a testament to the fraternal brotherhood of police that he 
embraced, the thin blue line.
  His spirit and dedication to our community will be sorely missed, but 
his service and his sacrifice will never be forgotten.
  Barberton was the community he grew up in. It was the community he 
served in and he embraced. His memory will live on in the hearts of his 
family, friends, and our community.
  Chief Kallai will truly be missed. We will always remember Mike for 
his commitment to his community and his dedication to his family. He 
was a friend and a leader, and he leaves a void that cannot be filled.
  On behalf of the people of Ohio's 13th District, I want to express my 
deepest sympathies to the Kallai family. They have lost a great son, 
brother, husband, father, and grandfather who passed away much too 
soon, and we have lost a true friend and committed member of our 
community.

                          ____________________