[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 16053]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




            IN CELEBRATION OF JOHN J. AREIAS' 90TH BIRTHDAY

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                             HON. JIM COSTA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, October 24, 2011

  Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the 90th birthday 
of Mr. John J. Areias, a respected leader, distinguished dairyman, and 
wonderful father, grandfather, and friend. His contributions to our 
community have been immeasurable and have made the San Joaquin Valley a 
better place to live.
  John J. Areias was born on April 27, 1921 to Jesse Areias and 
Genevive Silva Areias, who emigrated to the United States from 
Portugal's Azore Islands. John, his parents, and eight siblings settled 
in Volta, California, where they operated a small dairy. A proud 
product of the Central Valley, John graduated from Volta Elementary 
School as the valedictorian and then Los Banos High School, where he 
was a part of the Future Farmers of America (FFA) and served as Senior 
Class President.
  As a young man, John's passion for agriculture was evident. In high 
school, he traveled with the FFA to the International World Fair in 
Treasure Island and to the California State Fair to show cattle. It was 
also at this time that he met the love of his life, Mary, whom he later 
married. One of John's fondest memories is driving his future bride 
around in his 1939 Plymouth Deluxe Rumble Seat Convertible.
  Soon thereafter, John and Jess, his brother, went into the dairy 
business. Their pioneering spirit made them innovators in the dairy 
industry; their dairy was the first Grade A dairy in the Los Banos 
Dairymen's Association. Eventually, John and Jess became the operators 
of one of the largest dairies in California, shipping approximately 150 
cans of milk every day. Despite their massive success, their dairy 
operation remained a family business at heart--their children would 
often ride along in the milk truck during deliveries. John's success 
allowed him the opportunity to operate ranches throughout the west side 
of Merced County, California, which included 6,000 acres of land and 
4,500 head of cattle.
  Through all of his professional endeavors, John has found time to 
serve his community. A devout Catholic, he served as Grand Knight for 
the Knights of Columbus. In addition, he was active in the Portuguese 
Fraternal Order. His consistent involvement in our community makes him 
an invaluable asset to the people of the Central Valley.
  John's wife, Mary passed away in 1980 after a brave battle with 
cancer. Together they have four wonderful children: Marcia, Lucia, 
Kathleen, and Rusty, all of who have accomplished great things. John is 
also the proud grandfather to Evan, Nina, Bianca, Alexis, and Austin.
  Mr. Speaker, I rise to thank John for his wonderful contributions to 
our Valley. His commitment to family, community leadership, and hard 
work is admirable and makes him a role model for our entire community. 
I join the rest of John's family and friends in wishing him a blessed 
90th birthday and continued health and happiness in years to come.

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