[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 10]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 14350]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 COMMEMORATING THE LIFE AND CONTRIBUTIONS OF PHILANTHROPIST JACKIE LEE 
                                HOUSTON

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. MARY BONO MACK

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 23, 2011

  Mrs. BONO MACK. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a 
remarkable lady and dear friend, Mrs. Jackie Lee Houston, a pillar of 
our community in California's Coachella Valley, and an inspiration to 
countless admirers and friends.
  Today, our community will come together to celebrate Jackie Lee's 
life, a life of purpose and accomplishment that truly made our world a 
better place. I am deeply saddened that the Congressional schedule 
prevents me from joining in this celebration and I know that the 
memories of Jackie Lee will bring joy to all those attending; a fitting 
tribute to this gracious hostess who insisted that any event in which 
she was involved was done with grace and class--and a large measure of 
fun!
  Born Jackie Lee McDonald on June 27, 1935, Jackie Lee grew up in 
Seattle, Washington, and went on to attend the University of 
Washington. It was there that she met her husband, Jim, with whom she 
would spend the rest of her life. Their love story is a classic 
romance, from their hard-working early days when a holiday was defined 
by how much gas they could afford for a weekend get away to the pre-
eminent role they shared as leading desert philanthropists, they were 
simply inseparable.
  Jackie Lee and Jim were blessed with three children, Tamara, Jaimi 
and Jim, and their family bond was unbreakable.
  For a time, the Houstons made a life in British Columbia, visiting 
the Coachella Valley regularly in the 1960s. Although the Houstons 
maintained an active presence in the Coachella Valley for decades, they 
didn't move permanently to the Desert until 2001. Once there, they 
quickly made their commitment to their new home clear by purchasing a 
local television affiliate and establishing KPSP Channel 2 as a major 
media presence in our community. It is perhaps the most inspiring 
testament to her character and strength of will that Jackie Lee made 
such an enormous impact on her adopted home town in such a short period 
of time. Proud to be one of the few women in the country who owned a 
television station, Jackie Lee used her influence at the station to 
provide additional exposure to causes she deemed worthwhile--regardless 
of whether she was directly involved in them.
  One cannot begin to estimate the number of lives that were touched 
and made better by the tens of millions of dollars Jackie Lee raised 
for and donated to worthwhile charities and causes over the years, 
saying once: ``Giving is just a feeling of wanting to be proud of what 
you do.'' I will always be especially grateful for her work on the Palm 
Springs International Film Festival, and consider myself truly honored 
to have called her a dear friend.
  Jackie Lee had the ability to take your breath away with a flair and 
creativity that set her parties and events apart from all the rest--and 
for that reason people flocked to the Houston's home and social 
gatherings and always returned. She also quietly helped countless other 
individuals, helping families with furniture, clothes, or even mortgage 
payments.
  We were all enriched by her life and devastated by her passing, and 
the void in our community will never be filled.
  Mr. Speaker, please join me in commemorating the life and 
contributions of Mrs. Jackie Lee Houston, who passed away on September 
14, 2011. Her legacy will live on through her many achievements, the 
countless lives she touched, and the enduring admiration and devotion 
of her loving husband, Jim. May God bless her, and God bless America.

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