[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 10]
[Senate]
[Pages 13647-13648]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         TRIBUTE TO MELBA CURLS

 Mrs. McCASKILL. Mr. President, I ask the Senate to join me in 
congratulating my good friend Melba Curls on

[[Page 13648]]

her retirement from her many years of service to the city of Kansas 
City and the State of Missouri.
  Melba's journey as an agent of change began early in her life as a 
member of one of the first classes to integrate Kansas City's Central 
High School. Soon thereafter she found herself active in the NAACP's 
Youth Program. It was through that involvement that she met her future 
husband and my good friend State senator Phil B. Curls. While Phil 
passed from us far too soon, it was not before spending 43 wonderful 
years wed to Melba.
  Melba began her career in public service as a valued staff member to 
former Kansas City mayor Charles Wheeler and then to U.S. Senator Tom 
Eagleton. She then dedicated nearly 15 years of her life to improving 
the lives of countless Missourians, through her work at KCMC Child 
Development Corporation and its Head Start Program.
  The people of Missouri's 41st House District elected Melba to 
represent them in the Missouri House of Representatives in 1999. Her 7 
years in the general assembly saw her work across the political aisle, 
with both urban and rural legislators and with officials from executive 
departments in order to make her community and her State a better place 
for us all.
  In 2007, Melba was elected as city councilwoman for the third 
District, At-Large in Kansas City, MO. In typical fashion, Melba jumped 
in feet first to tackle a wide range of issues facing the city. Whether 
it was housing, transportation and infrastructure, or issues pertaining 
to public safety, Melba was going to be a leader fighting for the good 
of her community.
  Melba is now completing her second and final term on the city 
council. During her time in elected office, she has earned the respect 
of her colleagues, civic organizations, and the community at large.
  I know Melba is now looking forward to traveling and spending more 
time with her beautiful family. However, I also know Melba--when she 
sees work that needs to be done, she will be there. While her time as 
an elected official may be coming to an end, her time as a force for 
good is not. Thanks to her lifelong passion and drive, her 
neighborhood, the city of Kansas City, and the State of Missouri are, 
and will continue to be, better places for us all.
  I ask that the Senate join me in congratulating Melba Curls on a job 
well done, and wishing her nothing but the best in the years to 
come.

                          ____________________