[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 14]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 21096-21097]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




            A TRIBUTE IN HONOR OF THE LIFE OF IRVING GELLERT

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. ANNA G. ESHOO

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 14, 2010

  Ms. ESHOO. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary 
life of Irv Gellert, a dear friend who passed away on November 1, 2010 
at his home in Los Angeles, California.
  Irv had a great sense of joie de vivre and lived his life to the 
fullest. He was born in January of 1917 and grew up in the rural coal 
mining region of Pennsylvania, where his athletic abilities and 
interest in sports led him to become an all-star high school football 
player. After attending Temple University in Philadelphia, Irv enlisted 
in the Army and served his country with honor and pride during World 
War II. When the war was over and his service ended, he enrolled in New 
York University Law School and graduated with a law degree in 1949.
  Not long after graduating from law school, Irv married his beloved 
wife Harriet. In 1954, their only child, a son Jay was born, and Irv 
took on one of the great roles of his life as a parent. He was a loving 
role model to Jay, who called him his most admired person. Just three 
years after Jay was born, Irv was admitted to the California Bar 
Association and he spent the next 30 years as a respected practicing 
attorney in both New York and California.
  Irv's competitive nature and enduring spirit compelled his interests 
throughout his life. He had a passion for sports and was a dedicated 
Los Angeles Lakers fan. He also held a deep-seated interest in politics 
and closely followed elections and the political process. In the recent 
midterm election cycle, Irv made use of the latest technology to keep 
track of races across the country by following the elections on his new 
Apple iPad device. Each election cycle, Irv lent his support to 
candidates he felt would best serve his local community as well as the 
country he was so proud of.
  Later in life, Irv's most rewarding experiences came from caring for 
his ailing wife during her ten-year battle with Alzheimer's. It was 
during the time he cared for Harriet that Irv's true nature shone 
through. His love, coupled with his optimism and interminable 
selflessness, provided comfort to Harriet, to Jay, to their family and 
to their many friends affected by Harriet's condition.
  Irv had a genuine love for life and humor about every aspect of it. 
He was the most positive person I've ever known, a man who demonstrated 
very clearly what he believed in by how he lived. He was a man of 
integrity and intelligence, grace and goodness.
  Madam Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in extending our 
sincere condolences to Jay Gellert, the light of Irv's life and the son 
of sons. In Irv's passing, we've lost a great friend and patriot whose 
dedication and service made our nation a better place. We mourn his 
passing, but take comfort in the knowledge that his legacy lives on 
through the wisdom he shared, through the humor and keen observations 
he displayed, and through all the people he touched throughout his long 
and extraordinary life.

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