[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 1]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 356]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]


             HONORING THE LIFE OF JEF ``RUSTY'' RUSSELL III

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. BRIAN BABIN

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, January 6, 2017

  Mr. BABIN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the life of Jef Chaison 
Russell III or ``Rusty'' as I knew him, who went to be with the Lord on 
December 31, 2016.
   Rusty was a former Beaumont Convention and Visitors Bureau director 
who devoted himself to promoting tourism in the Beaumont region. He was 
known in many different convention and tourism circles having served as 
director of the Bureaus of Beaumont, Texas, Forth Worth, Texas and 
Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Rusty loved people and in turn people loved 
him.
   Rusty and I have been friends since 1953 during our kindergarten 
days at Longfellow Elementary School in Texas. There was no finer man 
than Rusty. Among the many memories we share together there is one I 
will cherish forever; two years ago, he traveled to D.C. to take part 
in my being sworn into the 114th Congress. I am saddened by his 
passing, but I am so thankful for the years of friendship I had with my 
dear friend. We do not know the day, hour or minute that the good Lord 
will call us home; Rusty knew this and spent his days serving others 
and touching every life he could.
   I will cherish the memories of our friendship. Rusty's family will 
continue to be in our prayers.

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