[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 1]
[House]
[Pages 539-540]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    HONORING ASHLEY WESTBROOK TURTON

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentlewoman from Connecticut (Ms. DeLauro) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Ms. DeLAURO. Mr. Speaker, words cannot describe the depths of my 
grief as I rise today to pay tribute to the life of my former staffer 
and dear friend, Ashley Westbrook Turton, who was taken from us in a 
tragic accident last week. To say that she was taken from us too soon 
is an understatement. Ashley worked for me for 7 years, first as my 
press secretary and later my chief of staff. However, she was much more 
than a former staffer. She was family.
  Ashley was, quite simply, remarkable. A native of North Carolina, she 
was known for her soft Southern accent, bright smile, professionalism, 
and determination to get things done. After graduating from the 
University of North Carolina, she first made her mark working for 
Governor Jim Hunt and then Attorney General Mike Easley, combining 
politics, policy, and communication. She soon brought her talents to 
Washington, and she was good at it. Ashley was committed to public 
service and to making a difference in the lives of others.
  Ashley started in my office in 2000 as my press secretary, and we 
quickly formed a bond of mutual respect and friendship. She later 
stepped in as my chief of staff and was nothing less than 
transformative in that role. Ashley's leadership and drive was 
inspiring, and she was a mentor for many young staffers, not only in my 
office, but across the Hill. As one former staffer remembered, ``Her 
work ethic could not be matched. She exemplified class, always cool 
under pressure.''
  Ashley was on the floor day and night, always deepening her 
understanding of the Congress as an institution and how it operated. 
She was a bright, articulate, and incredibly dedicated young woman who 
built a distinguished reputation during her time on the Hill and was 
respected by colleagues and by Members alike on both sides of the 
aisle, a fact that was reflected in the many phone calls I received and 
the statements that were issued in her memory.
  Ashley met her husband, Dan, on the Hill; and looking back, it was 
obvious that these two would wind up together. They shared a 
seriousness of purpose and liberal values, yet they were not flashy 
about any of this and avoided the spotlight. The love that they shared 
was palpable, the kind that we all dream of finding. I remembered her 
unbridled excitement about their wedding and her dreams of starting her 
own family.
  Ashley truly enjoyed the simpler things in life, family and close 
friends. She cherished spending time with Dan and their three children, 
Shaw, Lane and Mason Grace. Neighbors have often recalled seeing her 
and Dan wheeling the kids around the neighborhood. Her children were 
her joy, the light of her life. She wanted nothing more than the very 
best for them, a childhood filled with love, encouragement, and 
support. It is difficult to imagine that they will grow up not knowing 
her as well as we did.
  I, like so many others, have not yet come to terms with the reality 
that Ashley is lost to us. The idea that I will not get a call or email 
or text from her, just a couple of lines to say hello, is inconceivable 
to me. I simply cannot imagine my life without her in it.
  Ashley was an exceptional young woman whose kind heart, quick wit, 
unwavering loyalty, and unparalleled professionalism touched the lives 
and hearts of all those fortunate enough to have known her. And so it 
is with the heaviest of hearts that I rise today to extend my deepest 
sympathies to her husband, Dan; her parents, Jim and Diane Westbrook; 
her brother, Blair; Dan's parents, Tom and Cathy; and Ashley's 
children, Shaw, Lane and Mason Grace. Ashley's absence has left a hole 
in all of our hearts that will never be filled.

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