[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 2]
[House]
[Page 2655]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  HONORING THE MEMORY OF HELEN KILROY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Weber) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. WEBER of Texas. Mr. Speaker, today, I rise to honor the memory of 
Helen Kilroy of Galveston County. Helen Kilroy was a woman of service 
who always put community and others first.
  In March of 1989, her son, Mark Kilroy--her and Jim's son--
disappeared during a spring break in Mexico. Unfortunately, the 
Kilroy's ultimately learned that their beloved son was murdered by a 
cult practicing human sacrifice.
  Losing a loved one, especially a son or daughter, can be 
debilitating; instead, Helen and Jim Kilroy decided to channel their 
grief into action. The memory of their son was honored through their 
support of causes to help those in need.
  In 1995, the Kilroys founded the Mark Kilroy Foundation to support 
the Safe Communities Coalition. The coalition works to promote drug-
free communities, violence prevention, and anger management. It also 
provides counseling for at-risk children.
  Helen Kilroy's selflessness did not stop at the creation of the Mark 
Kilroy Foundation. Helen was a foster parent to seven children and a 
district leader for the Bay Area Council Cub Scouts from 1976-1983. She 
was a Meals on Wheels volunteer. She was a Santa Fe Parks and 
Recreation Board member, a dedicated church Eucharistic minister, as 
well as a volunteer EMT and a paramedic for Santa Fe, Texas, EMS.
  On December 22, 2014, Helen Kilroy lost her battle with ALS--Lou 
Gehrig's disease. She died after fighting that long battle. She is 
survived by her husband, Jim Kilroy; her son, Keith; her daughter-in-
law; two grandchildren; three sisters; two brothers-in-law; numerous 
cousins; nieces; and nephews.
  The many individuals helped by the Mark Kilroy Foundation and by her 
many service roles are a living legacy to her selfless nature. Helen's 
impact on our community was unparalleled. It takes a strong person to 
take a family tragedy and turn it into a lasting influence on our 
community. Helen's servant heart truly changed and even saved lives.
  Helen, you are missed.
  Jim, your beloved life is a legacy to the both of you.
  Helen, may you rest in peace.
  Jim and family, you all are in our prayers.

                          ____________________