[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 160 (2014), Part 5]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 6633]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    HONORING CHARLES WILLIAM RANSOME

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. FILEMON VELA

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, April 30, 2014

  Mr. VELA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Charlie Ransome who 
served our country for 23 years in the United States Army. I had the 
great privilege of knowing Charlie, and today I am including in the 
Congressional Record a tribute to him so that my colleagues will know 
how much he contributed to the nation, to his community, to his 
friends, and to his family.
  Charles William ``Charlie'' Ransome, 49 years of age, passed away 
peacefully at his home in Sugar Land, Texas on November 30, 2012, after 
a courageous seven month battle with pancreatic cancer.
  A celebration of Charlie's life was held at a funeral mass at St. 
Laurence Catholic Church in Sugar Land, Texas on Friday, December 7, 
2012. He was buried in Houston National Cemetery with full military 
honors, as was his wish. Serving as pallbearers were Michael Ransome, 
Bobby Balli, Terry Ray, Adrian Janak, David Ragusa, Richard Whitworth, 
Bill McLaughlin, and Jim Allen.
  Charlie is survived by his beloved wife and son, Melinda Janak 
Ransome and Charles Zachary Ransome of Sugar Land, Texas. Also 
surviving him are his parents Rufus G. Ransome, Jr. and Jeanine 
Calderoni Ransome of Brownsville, Texas; his sister, Kathryn Anne 
Traynor (Frank) and nieces Sarah, Emily, and Rebecca of Houston, Texas; 
his brother, Michael Edward Ransome (Denise) and nephew Joshua and 
niece Olivia of Scottsdale, Arizona.
  Additional survivors include his uncle, Charles Fount Ray and cousins 
Sandy and Karen Ray, Marshall and Mary Lou Ray, and Terry and Laurie 
Ray, all of Brownsville, Texas; and his uncle and aunt, William S. 
McLaughlin, Jr. and Doris Calderoni McLaughlin, and cousins Mary Leigh 
McLaughlin, Grayson Tate, and William S. McLaughlin, III, all of 
Houston, Texas.
  Charlie was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents, Rufus G. 
Ransome and Kathryn Eidman Ransome; maternal grandparents, Dr. Charles 
F. Calderoni and Doris Thompson Calderoni; and his aunt Ann Ransome 
Ray.
  Charlie was born on June 7, 1963, in Brownsville, Texas, to Rufus G. 
Ransome, Jr. and Jeanine Calderoni Ransome. He graduated from St. 
Joseph Academy in 1981 and Texas A&M University in 1985 earning a 
degree in civil engineering. While at Texas A&M Charlie proudly served 
as a member of the Corps of Cadets. He went on to serve 23 years in the 
U.S. Army and active reserves, retiring in 2008 as a Lieutenant 
Colonel. Charlie served tours of duty in Germany and Korea immediately 
out of college and was deployed to Iraq in 2004 with the Army Corps of 
Engineers as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. While in Iraq Charlie 
managed logistics for the military's construction efforts and troop 
rotations and served as a special investigating officer. He was awarded 
the Bronze Star for his time in Iraq. Charlie believed very strongly 
that his years of his service in the military were his contribution to 
making a better world. Patriotism was a way of life for him. He closed 
all his communications with the following quotation from Edmund Burke 
(1729--1797): ``The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for 
good men to do nothing.''
  In 1991, Charlie married Melinda Janak. They were blessed with the 
birth of their son, Charles Zachary, in 1996. Charlie spent 21 
beautiful years with his beloved Melinda and 16 with his beloved 
Zachary. The family loved to travel especially to all the wonderful 
National Parks where Charlie marveled at the natural beauty that God 
created.
  Charlie's civilian engineering career was spent with Jacobs 
Engineering, in Houston, Texas where he was employed for 24 years. 
Always a giving man, Charlie was active in volunteerism both through 
Jacobs and his son's activities. Some of his favorite contributions 
were running United Way campaigns for Jacobs, reading to under 
privileged children and serving as treasurer for his son's high school 
athletics booster club.
  Charlie was a man of great integrity, with the highest of moral 
standards. He was truly a family man, always loving to have his family 
and friends join him, Melinda, and Zach to celebrate at their home. An 
avid sportsman, hunting, fishing and scuba diving were some of his 
favorite pastimes.
  Charlie treasured his wonderful life and lived it to the fullest. He 
will always be remembered as a very kind and compassionate man who 
loved people. In turn, Charlie was loved by everyone who knew him, as 
was evidenced by the tremendous outpouring of love, care and support 
from family and his many friends throughout his illness and passing.
  We treasure the years Charlie spent with us. He will forever live in 
our hearts. May he rest in peace.

                          ____________________