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Paul E. Gillmor 

LATE A REPRESENTATIVE FROM 

OHIO 

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MEMORIAL ADDRESSES 

AND OTHER TRIBUTES 

HON. PAUL E. GILLMOR ÷ z 1939–2007 

HON. PAUL E. GILLMOR ÷ z 1939–2007 

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Paul E. Gillmor 


37600.001
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U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

WASHINGTON : 2008

Memorial Addresses and 

Other Tributes 

HELD IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

AND SENATE 

OF THE UNITED STATES 

TOGETHER WITH MEMORIAL SERVICES 

IN HONOR OF 

PAUL E. GILLMOR 

Late a Representative from Ohio 

One Hundred Tenth Congress 

First Session 

÷ 

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Compiled under the direction 

of the 

Joint Committee on Printing 

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[ iii ] 

CONTENTS 

Page 

Biography .................................................................................................. v 

Proceedings in the House of Representatives: 

Tributes by Representatives: 

Aderholt, Robert B., of Alabama ............................................... 20 

Bachus, Spencer, of Alabama .................................................... 18 

Barton, Joe, of Texas ................................................................. 10 

Blunt, Roy, of Missouri .............................................................. 28, 38 

Boehner, John A., of Ohio ......................................................... 3, 16 

Burgess, Michael C., of Texas ................................................... 19 

Chabot, Steve, of Ohio ............................................................... 24 

Ehlers, Vernon J., of Michigan ................................................. 34 

Fossella, Vito, of New York ....................................................... 31 

Hobson, David L., of Ohio ......................................................... 29 

Hoyer, Steny H., of Maryland ................................................... 38 

Jackson-Lee, Sheila, of Texas ................................................... 35 

Jones, Stephanie Tubbs, of Ohio ............................................... 15, 31 

Jordan, Jim, of Ohio .................................................................. 20 

Kaptur, Marcy, of Ohio .............................................................. 3, 5 

LaTourette, Steven C., of Ohio ................................................. 9 

Maloney, Carolyn B., of New York ........................................... 25 

Myrick, Sue Wilkins, of North Carolina ................................... 32 

Obey, David R., of Wisconsin .................................................... 13 

Pelosi, Nancy, of California ....................................................... 22 

Price, Tom, of Georgia ............................................................... 28 

Pryce, Deborah, of Ohio ............................................................. 12 

Regula, Ralph, of Ohio ............................................................. 4, 5, 30 

Ryan, Tim, of Ohio ..................................................................... 17 

Schmidt, Jean, of Ohio .............................................................. 21 

Sensenbrenner, F. James, Jr., of Wisconsin ............................ 37 

Sessions, Pete, of Texas ............................................................. 32 

Space, Zachary T., of Ohio ......................................................... 3, 27 

Stearns, Cliff, of Florida ............................................................ 26 

Sutton, Betty, of Ohio ................................................................ 10 

Tanner, John S., of Tennessee .................................................. 8, 40 

Tiberi, Patrick J., of Ohio .......................................................... 14 

Turner, Michael R., of Ohio ....................................................... 21 

Walsh, James T., of New York .................................................. 33 

Westmoreland, Lynn A., of Georgia .......................................... 3 

Wilson, Charles A., of Ohio ....................................................... 11 

Wilson, Joe, of South Carolina .................................................. 31 

Wolf, Frank R., of Virginia ........................................................ 33 

Proceedings in the Senate: 

Tributes by Senators: 

Voinovich, George V., of Ohio ................................................... 41 

Memorial Services .................................................................................... 43 

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[ v ] 

BIOGRAPHY 

Congressman PAUL E. GILLMOR (R-Tiffin) was sworn in to 

the U.S. House of Representatives to represent the people of 

the Fifth Congressional District of Ohio in January 1989. 

Prior to his election to Congress, Mr. GILLMOR served in the 

Ohio Senate for 22 years where he was unanimously elected 

Republican leader five times and served as Senate president 

for three general assemblies. 

At the time of his passing, Congressman GILLMOR was the 

ranking Republican member of the House Financial Services 

Subcommittee on Financial Institutions and Consumer Credit. Previously, Congressman GILLMOR served one term as the 

ranking Republican member of the Committee on House Administration Subcommittee on Accounts and three terms as 

the chairman of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on 

Environment and Hazardous Materials. In addition, Congressman GILLMOR was unanimously elected in 2006 by representatives of the 26 NATO countries to serve as vice president of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. In his role, Congressman GILLMOR was the highest ranking North American 

in the assembly. 

Mr. GILLMOR served as a deputy minority whip for the 

110th Congress and was in his eighth term as a member of 

the Republican whip team. Previously, he was elected a regional representative for four States to the House Republican 

Policy Committee. He served as a member of a bipartisan reform task force on ethics and congressional mailing practices. 

In 1994 Mr. GILLMOR authored an article for the Harvard 

Journal on Legislation on ‘‘Reconstruction of Federalism: A 

Constitutional Amendment to Prohibit Unfunded Mandates.’’ 

Congressman GILLMOR sponsored the Small Business Liability Relief and Brownfields Revitalization Act, which was 

signed by President Bush in 2002. According to the U.S. 

Conference of Mayors, Congressman GILLMOR’s bill to promote the redevelopment of abandoned industrial sites has 

created 85,000 jobs and has the ability to create as many as 

570,000 jobs if it is fully implemented. 

Throughout his career in public service, Mr. GILLMOR received numerous awards for his accomplishments from 

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[ vi ] 

groups representing businesses, veterans, senior citizens, 

educators, prosecuting attorneys, civil service employees, and 

environmental concerns. In 2006, he was honored by the Toledo Regional Chamber of Commerce for his efforts to successfully prevent the Toledo Air National Guard Base from 

closing while saving more than 1,000 jobs. In addition, Mr. 

GILLMOR was selected as one of the 10 most outstanding legislators in the United States by the National Republican 

Legislators Association. 

Congressman GILLMOR received his bachelor of arts degree 

from Ohio Wesleyan University and his law degree from the 

University of Michigan Law School. He was a graduate of 

Old Fort High School in Seneca County, OH. Mr. GILLMOR

also held honorary degrees from Heidelberg College, Defiance College, Ohio University, Tiffin University, and Rio 

Grande College. 

As a U.S. Air Force veteran, Mr. GILLMOR attained the 

rank of captain while on active duty. As an Air Force judge 

advocate, Mr. GILLMOR served during the Vietnam conflict 

from 1965 to 1966. 

Ohio’s Fifth Congressional District is home to approximately 630,000 people in Crawford, Defiance, Fulton, Henry, 

Huron, Paulding, Putnam, Sandusky, Seneca, Van Wert, 

Williams and Wood counties, and parts of Ashland, Lucas, 

Mercer and Wyandot counties. The district is larger in area 

than the States of Rhode Island, Delaware, Connecticut or 

the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. 

Congressman GILLMOR is survived by his wife, Karen 

Gillmor. A former two-term State senator, Karen Gillmor 

was selected the Outstanding Freshman Legislator in the 

Country by the National Republican Legislators Association 

in 1995. Congressman GILLMOR is also survived by his two 

daughters, Linda and Julie, and three sons, Paul Michael 

and twins Connor and Adam. 

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MEMORIAL ADDRESSES 

AND 

OTHER TRIBUTES 

FOR 

PAUL E. GILLMOR 

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Proceedings in the House of 

Representatives 

WEDNESDAY, September 5, 2007 

Mr. BOEHNER. Madam Speaker, it is with profound sadness that I come to the floor today and inform all of my colleagues that our colleague from Ohio, PAUL GILLMOR, passed 

away suddenly overnight. 

PAUL was a good friend to all of us, a colleague of mine 

who served in this House for nearly two decades after a long, 

distinguished career in the Ohio Senate. He was from Ohio, 

born there, raised there, went to school there. He is going to 

be missed by all of us. 

I want to make sure that we keep Karen and his children 

in our thoughts in this very difficult time. 

We will notify Members of the arrangements when they 

are made, but I would expect that later this afternoon the 

members of the Ohio delegation from both sides of the aisle 

will be on the floor for a tribute to our friend. 

Mr. WESTMORELAND. Madam Speaker, I would just like 

to offer my condolences to the Gillmor family at this tragic 

time in their life. . . . 

Mr. SPACE. . . . I would like to preface my remarks with 

my condolences to the family of PAUL GILLMOR as well, an 

Ohioan and a good man who will be missed. . . . 

Ms. KAPTUR. Madam Speaker, I rise to inform the House 

that in addition to the loss of Ohio’s beloved colleague PAUL

GILLMOR today and former Congresswoman Jennifer Dunn, 

we have lost a beloved friend and indefatigable colleague 

when Ohio Congressman Charles Vanik passed away last 

week at the age of 94. . . . 

I would just ask for 10 seconds to say to my colleagues in 

terms of my neighbor, PAUL GILLMOR, with whom I served 

over 20 years in this body, we just happened to be flying 

over Ohio this past week to assess the flood damage in his 

district. My last memory of him is actually climbing out of 

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the Apache helicopter we were both in. There were just the 

two of us with the Ohio National Guard, and he extended his 

hand to me to help me get out of the helicopter after a very 

long day in many communities, including Bucyrus and Findlay. I have many memories, but I shall never forget that. He 

was a gentleman of this House. 

I thank my colleagues very much. 

MOMENT OF SILENCE IN MEMORY OF THE LATE HONORABLE 

PAUL GILLMOR 

Mr. REGULA. Madam Speaker, I know that Leader 

Boehner has already informed the House of the untimely 

death of our colleague, PAUL GILLMOR, but I want to just add 

to that. I will be offering a resolution of bereavement after 

we have finished the suspensions for the day, which will be 

very shortly, for those who might want to comment. 

It is a tremendous loss for Ohio. PAUL was a leader in the 

Ohio Senate over a number of years, 22 years to be exact. 

He was a leader here on the Financial Services Committee. 

But most important, he was a person who cared about the 

people of Ohio. He made a tremendous effort to represent 

them well. It is evident by a number of awards that he received and so on. I won’t take the time to go into that now, 

but all of you knew PAUL. 

I think something that many were not aware of, he was 

chosen as the vice president of the International NATO 

Group, the parliamentary group that is made up of something like 26 nations, and they elected him as the highest 

ranking American in their leadership responsibilities. It is a 

tribute to him and to Ohio and to this body that he was chosen for that assignment. 

Madam Speaker, I would like for us all to rise and recognize his loss, too, in a moment of silence. 

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I offer a privileged resolution 

(H. Res. 632) and ask for its immediate consideration. 

The Clerk read the resolution, as follows: 

H. RES. 632 

Resolved, That the House has heard with profound sorrow of the death 

of the Honorable PAUL E. GILLMOR, a Representative from the State of Ohio. 

Resolved, That a committee of such Members of the House as the Speaker 

may designate, together with such Members of the Senate as may be joined, 

be appointed to attend the funeral. 

Resolved, That the Sergeant-at-Arms of the House be authorized and directed to take such steps as may be necessary for carrying out the provisions of these resolutions and that the necessary expenses in connection 

therewith be paid out of applicable accounts of the House. 

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Resolved, That the Clerk communicate these resolutions to the Senate and 

transmit a copy thereof to the family of the deceased. 

Resolved, That when the House adjourns today, it adjourn as a further 

mark of respect to the memory of the deceased. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Ohio is 

recognized for 1 hour. 

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 30 minutes to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Kaptur), my colleague, who is the 

senior member of the Democrat delegation, pending which I 

yield myself such time as I may consume. 

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to my friend and 

colleague PAUL GILLMOR of Tiffin, Ohio. PAUL GILLMOR was 

a leader in Ohio. He was elected five times by his colleagues 

in the Ohio Senate as a leader and was President of the Ohio 

Senate three times. 

He was a leader here in this House on financial issues, focusing effectively on legislation to protect the general public. 

Additionally, PAUL’s leadership extended beyond Ohio and 

Congress to his position as vice president of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. 

His awards from grateful constituents and community 

groups he represented were powerful evidence of PAUL’s diligent efforts on behalf of those who depended on his caring 

representation on their behalf. Five Ohio colleges and universities honored his outstanding leadership with honorary 

degrees. 

In addition, he served his country as a captain in the Air 

Force with active duty during the Vietnam conflict from 1965 

to 1966. Ohio Wesleyan University and the University of 

Michigan Law School are proud to claim him as an alumnus. 

Our sympathy goes out to PAUL’s wife, Karen, and his five 

children. 

To those of us who cherished him not only as a colleague, 

but as a friend, we will long remember PAUL and will always 

be grateful that he was part of our life. 

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. 

Ms. KAPTUR. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I 

may consume. 

I would very much like to thank the dean of the Republican delegation from Ohio, Congressman Ralph Regula, a 

dear friend, for helping to organize this very special moment 

tonight in honor of our friend and colleague from Ohio, Representative PAUL GILLMOR, who last evening succumbed to a 

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call that will greet us all. We never know the time nor the 

hour. 

I understand that PAUL flew back to Washington yesterday 

with several of his colleagues. And sometimes we wonder 

why things happen the way they do, but he was able to 

speak with several of them upon his return to Washington 

after having spent most of August with his family in Ohio. 

That itself is a gift. 

It is with shock and sadness that we on this side of the 

aisle extend heartfelt sympathy to the Gillmor family. To his 

wife, Karen, I can’t tell you how many White House Christmas parties I recall sharing with her, our travels to Mexico 

long before the passage of NAFTA as we evaluated the situation on the ground. Those are memories that I will hold forever. 

To the five Gillmor children, PAUL was a very dedicated father. I recall one time I was going into Channel 11, our CBS 

affiliate, I’ll probably get in trouble for saying this, the other 

affiliates won’t be mentioned, even though it didn’t happen 

in their stations, and PAUL had one of his sons with him that 

day, and he was so polite. And we were talking about where 

he was going to school. PAUL tried to be with his family, especially with his younger children, as much as he could. 

He suffered great tragedy in his own life, serving during 

the Vietnam war as a captain in the Air Force in that very 

troubled conflict. I’m sure that he carried memories and 

wounds from that. And then having lost his first wife in a 

tragic automobile accident, having to survive that and continue to serve. 

He dedicated his life to public service. Many people I don’t 

think realize what a wealthy man he was. He didn’t have to 

be here in the Congress. He could have checked out long ago. 

But in the tradition of service that his family represented 

and very deep roots in Buckeye land in Ohio, he served his 

country not just in the Air Force, but in the Ohio Senate 

where he was the Republican leader or president for 10 

years, and finally, the people of the Fifth Congressional District in this House since 1989, a decade and a half (19 years). 

There are many pieces of legislation for which he exhibited 

leadership. One of those dealt with brownfields, a problem 

well known in a State like Ohio, and trying to move legislation in order to convert those over for reuse. As a member 

of the Energy and Commerce Committee and Subcommittee 

chair during a portion of his career, he made a real national 

contribution there. 

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Together, we worked on saving the 180th Tactical Fighter 

Squadron of the Army Air National Guard in our districts. 

When gerrymandering occurred a few years ago and the districts were redrawn, literally, he ended up with one half of 

the airport and I ended up with the other half. And I 

thought, oh, this is interesting. So we were very successful 

in our efforts there. And without question, that particular 

unit, which will be returning to Ohio this week, will go to 

a facility that he helped to save. One of my memories is that 

before their departure about 4 months ago, PAUL and I were 

there together wishing every single one of the members of 

that unit Godspeed and a quick return to our country. 

There were many times that we spent together in our region of the State. Just last week, PAUL and I appeared in 

Findlay, Ohio, as a result of the tragic 1,000-year flooding 

that occurred up in our area. Congressman Jim Jordan was 

there as well from Urbana, Ohio. Then PAUL and I met with 

Secretary Chertoff. We were planning meetings here upon 

our return here this week. We talked about the need for 

FEMA to be more responsive to the needs of this region. We 

then took an Apache helicopter with General Wayt from the 

Ohio National Guard and we flew over to Bucyrus, just the 

two of us together in that helicopter. We were pointing out 

different reservoirs and different dams and different things 

that had to be done in order to prevent this type of tragedy 

again. We met with the mayor of Bucyrus and with the county commissioners there and the emergency management officials. We had quite a visit. Then PAUL and I got back on the 

Apache helicopter and we flew back to Findlay, Ohio, where 

his sister was waiting for him at the airport. They were on 

to the next stop. I think he was headed over to Ottawa, 

Ohio, in his district, which had also been very badly flooded. 

I see Congressman Jordan over there. I never knew that 

when we were in Findlay, Ohio, together, we kind of grabbed 

hands and tried to deal with the flooding in your district as 

well, that that would be the last time that we would do that 

together. 

So we had many memories that we share of PAUL’s service. 

And I offer the consolation and the condolences of the people 

from the Ninth Congressional District, which literally wraps 

its arms around the northern part of PAUL’s district, to his 

family, to his friends, to his colleagues, and to say we are 

there in dutiful service to do what is necessary to transition 

in these very difficult days and months ahead. 

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I want to say personally to Karen, his wife, that I value 

our friendship. And many of us who have reached the age we 

are know what a loss this is, and we are praying for you, we 

are praying for your children, we are praying for your family. 

I wanted to extend the opportunity for our dear colleague 

from Tennessee, Congressman John Tanner, who is down 

here on the floor, who wanted to offer words on behalf of 

PAUL GILLMOR whatever time he wishes to consume. I yield 

him such time. 

Mr. TANNER. Thank you very much, Ms. Kaptur. 

I just felt compelled to come down here. Mr. Regula, I 

thank you for taking this time. 

I guess I’ve traveled more with PAUL GILLMOR than any 

other Member. We have traveled together on the NATO Parliamentary Assembly business for at least the last 9 or 10 

years, and that’s two or three trips a year to the parliamentary meetings of NATO. And during that time, not only have 

my wife, Betty Ann, and his wife, Karen, become close 

friends, but I don’t have or didn’t have a closer friend in 

Congress than PAUL GILLMOR. 

He was not only an extraordinarily talented individual 

who made people comfortable around him, but he also had 

a leadership quality that I observed up close and personal 

many times in these NATO meetings. 

It hasn’t been all that easy the last few years. There has 

been unrest in the alliance. And PAUL was chairman of the 

Economics and Security Committee during part of that time, 

and I was a member and succeeded him as chairman. It was 

an easy transition from the standpoint that PAUL had gained 

so much respect from our European allies and colleagues 

that it was easy for us to run that committee in a way that 

I think was constructive. 

He was extraordinarily dedicated to his family. He talked 

about them all the time. And beyond that, he was a man 

that had a well-grounded sense of himself. He was one who 

not only cared deeply for his family, his State, and his country, but was willing to go out of his way and inconvenience 

himself time and time again to go the extra mile to try to 

make things better. I feel very privileged to just have known 

him and to be a friend of his, and more important to have 

him as a friend of mine. 

I’m going to miss him a lot. I know this House will miss 

him a lot. The country will miss him a lot. He is currently 

serving as North American vice president of the NATO ParVerDate jan 13 2004 11:05 May 28, 2008 Jkt 037600 PO 00000 Frm 00016 Fmt 6688 Sfmt 6688 C:\DOCS\GILLMOR\37600.TXT CRS1 PsN: SKAYNE
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liamentary Assembly, and I’m sure that organization will 

miss him as well. 

Thank you for allowing me this time. 

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. LaTourette). 

Mr. LATOURETTE. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the dean 

of our delegation for authoring this resolution. I also want to 

thank our Democratic friends from Ohio and Members from 

other States whom I see gathering on the floor. 

Mr. Speaker, there is no way to describe today’s news 

about our friend, PAUL GILLMOR, other than shock, a devastating loss to his family, to his friends, his colleagues, 

Ohio, and our Nation. 

Unlike a number of the other members of the Ohio delegation, I didn’t come to Congress through the Ohio Legislature, 

and so I didn’t serve with PAUL in the Ohio Legislature, although I knew of him from Republican gatherings around 

the State of Ohio, he also was my mom’s Congressman. She 

always told me the story about how excited the people were 

who were up in Lakeside, Marblehead, and the Islands that 

Congressman GILLMOR was going to come up and share his 

thoughts. But I didn’t have the chance to work with him 

until I arrived here about 13 years ago. What I found was 

what I had heard, and that was that Congressman GILLMOR

was a hardworking, smart legislator who loved his family, 

loved his friends, loved this institution and the people he 

served. He was willing to take the time to show a young 

freshman around back in 1995. He was willing to share his 

vast knowledge of financial services with those that didn’t 

quite have the same expertise. If you were having a sadness 

or a joy in your life, he was willing to share in that. And he 

was a wonderful fellow to sit and have dinner with. And 

after dinner, he was a wonderful fellow to sit around with 

and tell war stories. And over the course of the years, many 

of those stories were exaggerated with the passage of time 

and also the failing of memory, but it was always a good 

time. 

I was reminded by my staff, because I want to talk about 

PAUL’s family, but I also want to talk about PAUL’s other 

family. And my staff reminded me, when they learned of 

PAUL’s passing today, that we were neighbors in the Longworth Building, and my staff told me how lucky we were to 

have a neighbor whose staff was always willing to walk us 

through another clueless day in the 104th Congress. And 

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how you could always walk into the lobby, and how he 

taught us about constituent services because you would always find a bowl of Dum Dum suckers because the Spangler 

Candy Company was located in Bryan, Ohio, which was in 

the Congressman’s district. 

Our Ohio delegation is poor today with the loss of our 

friend, neighbor and mentor, PAUL GILLMOR. Our thoughts 

and prayers are with PAUL’s wife, Karen, his five wonderful 

children, and also, Mr. Speaker, with his Capitol Hill family, 

many of whom have been with him for many years and who 

miss him very badly today. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the gentlewoman from Ohio, Ms. Sutton, will control the remainder of 

the gentlewoman from Ohio, Ms. Kaptur’s time. 

There was no objection. 

Ms. SUTTON. Mr. Speaker, I was deeply saddened today 

to hear of the passing of Congressman PAUL GILLMOR. 

As a freshman Member of this body, I haven’t known Mr. 

GILLMOR as long as some of my colleagues who have already 

spoken and who will, I’m sure, rise to speak in moments following my remarks. 

I did have occasion enough to spend time with Mr. 

GILLMOR to know what a friendly and unpretentious and 

likeable man he was. And my thoughts and prayers are with 

his wife, Karen, and his family and his friends. I did have 

the opportunity to serve with Karen in the State legislature 

in Ohio. And Karen, as I said, you’re in our thoughts and 

prayers. 

The State of Ohio and the U.S. Congress have lost a great 

friend. PAUL GILLMOR devoted his life to serving his community, his State and his Nation. From his service in the U.S. 

Air Force to his tireless efforts on behalf of the people of 

Ohio in Congress, PAUL GILLMOR always fought hard to 

make a difference in people’s lives. We will all miss him 

greatly. And I am grateful for the opportunity to have known 

him even for the short time that I did. 

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 21⁄2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Barton), chairman of the committee 

on which PAUL served. 

Mr. BARTON of Texas. Well, the former chairman, the 

ranking member now. 

When I think of PAUL GILLMOR, I think of two words, 

‘‘team player.’’ Earlier this year, when the Republicans lost 

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the majority, we had to downsize the number of Republicans 

on the Energy and Commerce Committee, and I made a decision, as the ranking member, to try not to have to kick anybody off the committee and not bump off our junior members. So I went to the senior members of the committee and 

asked if there were any volunteers who might want to take 

a leave of absence to allow the junior members not to have 

to be bumped off, and of course PAUL GILLMOR was one of 

the ones who volunteered to take a leave of absence so he 

could serve on the Financial Services Committee and keep 

his seniority on the Energy and Commerce Committee. 

Because of that, several of our junior members were able 

to stay on the committee. 

Well, about a month ago, we had a contentious mark-up 

coming up. Sure enough, one of the junior members had a 

personal family situation that they couldn’t get out of. They 

were going to have to take a leave of absence. We needed 

every vote. So I went to PAUL, and I said, ‘‘Would you be 

willing to come back on the committee for 1 or 2 days?’’ He 

kind of grumped a little bit about it, but he said, ‘‘If you 

need me, I’ll be there.’’ Not only did he come back on the 

committee, but he offered amendments and was there all of 

the time and didn’t complain, whine, moan, or groan about 

how tough it was. He was a team player. He did a good job. 

When we were in the majority, PAUL was the chairman of 

the Subcommittee on Environment and Hazardous Materials, which is not one of the more glamorous subcommittees 

of this Congress. It deals with such things as the Superfund 

and the Clean Water Act and all these international treaties. 

It’s a tough job. PAUL did it not only with good grace, but he 

did it in an excellent fashion. 

PAUL GILLMOR is going to be missed as a friend. He is 

going to be missed as a Congressman. He is going to be 

missed as a statesman for this country. My sympathy goes 

out to his wife, Karen, and his family. We will definitely 

miss the services of the Honorable PAUL GILLMOR in the 

House of Representatives. 

God bless him, and God bless his family. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Wilson) will control the remainder of 

the time of the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Sutton). 

There was no objection. 

Mr. WILSON of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I join with my colleagues here today saddened by the death of PAUL GILLMOR. 

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PAUL and I took much the same track to come here to Congress in that PAUL served diligently for the State of Ohio in 

the Ohio Senate. As a matter of fact, he and his wife, Karen, 

both left quite a legacy there and then moved on to Congress. I knew PAUL, but through other people, so to speak, 

until I came to Congress. I can still remember how welcoming he was to me as another Ohio delegate and welcoming me to be here in Congress. I was very comfortable 

when he, Deborah Pryce and I were the Congress people 

hosting a banking financial seminar in Columbus not too 

many months ago, 4, 5, or 6 months ago. It was good to sit 

with PAUL. We chatted during breaks at the seminar. 

One of the things that comes to mind about PAUL is that 

he was my sister Becky’s Congressman. She lives in Henry 

County in part of his district. She is a yellow dog Democrat, 

but she loved PAUL GILLMOR. Just as recently as last night, 

before we knew any of this had happened, we talked about 

him at dinner. She said, ‘‘PAUL GILLMOR always listens to 

us.’’ So she felt very proud of her relationship with her Congressman. 

I think many people have felt that way about PAUL. When 

this type of thing happens, it shows you the compassion and 

the feeling among us, as one body, as one set of people representing America. I think that is what makes our country 

different from others. PAUL GILLMOR was certainly a perfect 

example of that. So my heart and my sympathy go out to his 

wife Karen and his five children. Hopefully, they will be able 

to continue the legacy he has set for the Gillmor family. 

Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. 

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Ohio (Ms. Pryce). 

Ms. PRYCE of Ohio. I thank the gentleman for yielding. 

Mr. Speaker, we all rise in shock and great sadness to 

mourn the death of our friend and colleague, PAUL GILLMOR. 

There is really so much to honor about his life. He was actually a legislator’s legislator. Before he came to Capitol Hill, 

he spent 22 years in the Ohio statehouse where he became 

the senate president for three terms. He was there during 

those formative years of his professional life so long, and to 

the extent that he became a real pro at it, that he had an 

innate sense of the legislative process. He got to know the 

people, because half of this work is getting to know the people. 

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He seemed to come by it naturally. We would sit at whip 

meetings when he came to Congress. He would ask all the 

right questions and get to the bottom line in half the time 

as anyone else. PAUL GILLMOR really knew what he was 

doing, and he always made it look so effortless. 

He cared about other people. He cared about his staff. He 

cared about his colleagues. He cared about his friends. I 

didn’t know a single soul who didn’t like PAUL GILLMOR. And 

that is saying a lot in this business. PAUL was a people person. He was a person that others gravitated to because he 

cared about them. 

But he cared about no one more in life than his family. As 

a Member who on occasion myself has missed a vote on the 

naming of a post office or two, I really respect the priorities 

that PAUL GILLMOR had about putting his family first. That’s 

the right thing to do and that’s the way PAUL did it. 

He has a lot for which Karen, his dear wife, and his family 

can be proud to look back upon as they examine the legacy 

that he left to Ohio, to them, and to our country. 

Once again, we have much to honor in PAUL GILLMOR’s 

life. Our prayers are with his family. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the gentlewoman from Ohio (Mrs. Jones) will control the remainder of 

the time of the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Wilson). 

There was no objection. 

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, at this time, I would 

yield time to Mr. Obey, the chair of the Appropriations Committee, such time as he may consume. 

Mr. OBEY. I thank the gentlewoman for the time. 

I simply cannot believe that PAUL is gone. I first got to 

know him when we both served on a task force to rewrite the 

code of ethics in the nineties. That was not an easy job. 

PAUL’s performance was solid. It was thoughtful. In all the 

time that we discussed those issues before we brought our 

recommendations to the floor, I never saw him for one moment raise a partisan angle on any ethics question, and I 

never saw him question anyone else’s motives. 

What I did see was a man who understood that ethics is 

important, and yet because it involves the rules of the 

House, it can also be exceedingly complicated. 

I never saw PAUL take a single cheap shot in all the time 

that he served on that committee. That is one of the reasons 

that he became one of my favorite Republicans in this place, 

because there are very few people on either side of the aisle 

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who aren’t willing to take a cheap shot at the other side, 

even if it results in damage to the institution. That’s where 

PAUL drew the line. 

He didn’t mind seeking partisan advantage. That’s what 

all of us try to do from time to time. But what he always 

tried to do, in my judgment, was to seek whatever advantage 

he saw without taking advantage of the institution at the 

same time. That’s an important line to draw in an institution 

like this. 

I think we can all be grateful for the job that PAUL did for 

as long as God allowed him to do it. I simply cannot believe 

he is gone. 

I extend my sincere regrets and best wishes to his family 

and all the members of the Ohio delegation. 

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Tiberi). 

Mr. TIBERI. Ladies and gentlemen of the House, my heart 

goes out to PAUL’s wife, Karen, and his five children. 

As Mr. Obey said, I can’t believe it, either. I first met PAUL

GILLMOR when he served in the Ohio Senate. He had a very 

distinguished career before ever having come to the U.S. 

Congress, a career that many would admire, just there in 

our statehouse in Ohio. 

His reputation was as a man of great humility. Something 

that we all could learn a lesson from is PAUL GILLMOR’s humility, the gentleness of PAUL GILLMOR, the way he treated 

people, the way he loved to serve the public of Ohio and 

northwest Ohio and the constituents he was so proud to 

serve. 

PAUL was an Air Force veteran. Many didn’t know that. 

He was a proud graduate of Ohio Wesleyan University in my 

district, and, for an Ohioan, a proud graduate of the University of Michigan’s law school. 

PAUL was known around the statehouse as a very gentle 

person, as a man who rose to the top of the political game, 

but never forgot where he came from, a successful politician, 

a successful public servant, a successful businessman. 

Yesterday I had the opportunity with a couple of other 

Members, Congressman Jordan and Congressman Hobson, to 

sit in the airport in Columbus in the afternoon to chat with 

PAUL as we were coming back to Washington, DC. 

I had the added opportunity to spend some time with him 

on the airplane sitting next to him. I will remember PAUL in 

the way that I have always known PAUL, a very happy warVerDate jan 13 2004 11:05 May 28, 2008 Jkt 037600 PO 00000 Frm 00022 Fmt 6688 Sfmt 6688 C:\DOCS\GILLMOR\37600.TXT CRS1 PsN: SKAYNE
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rior, a man who loved what he did on a daily basis. He enjoyed August, reaching out to community after community in 

northwest Ohio at town hall meeting after town hall meeting, up at the lake with friends and family. He had a smile 

on his face. He enjoyed public service. He enjoyed representing the people of northwest Ohio. 

That’s how I will remember PAUL GILLMOR. We lost a good 

friend. Ohio lost a native son. And America lost a patriot. 

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I would like to yield 

myself such time as I may consume. 

Mr. Speaker, my first comments are to Karen Gillmor. 

Karen, I stand in your stead. Only 4 years ago I lost my husband suddenly. All I can say to you is hold on to God’s unchanging hand. He will help you through all of this. And as 

you think about all the wonderful memories and the wonderful opportunities and the blessing that you had to have PAUL

GILLMOR in your life. To your sons and daughters, I say the 

same thing. I always talk to my son, and I say, ‘‘Merv, just 

remember all the good times. Remember all the fun you had, 

all the things you learned, and cherish each and every one 

of them.’’ 

As a Member of Congress, I rise to speak to honor the life 

of my colleague and friend, PAUL GILLMOR. PAUL and I 

served on the Committee on Financial Services together. 

When I first came to Congress, PAUL reminded me of a big 

bear, kind of a gentle bear. You don’t even know he is really 

in the room until he kind of humbles into the room. I remember him saying on occasion, Stephanie, Congresswoman 

Jones, so forth and so on. 

I was pleased to have had the opportunity to cosponsor 

some legislation with him with regard to historic preservation. He and I both understood the importance of preserving 

historic buildings in this Nation and offered legislation that 

would have provided tax incentives for people to be able to 

shore up that legislation. 

Unlike PAUL, I was not in the legislature when I first came 

to Congress. The advantage of having a colleague and a 

friend who has had some experience in the legislature works 

greatly. I can remember one time at a Financial Services 

hearing, as usual, I was going at a witness. Later PAUL said, 

‘‘Now, Stephanie, just calm down a little bit. It ain’t like 

you’re in a courtroom anymore.’’ 

We’re all going to miss PAUL GILLMOR. The beauty of the 

U.S. Congress is that it is a bipartisan body where you have 

Democrats and Republicans who are there and who are able 

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to argue or debate their particular issue. But the beauty also 

of a bipartisan body is that you have Democrats and Republicans who can get along, who understand the importance of 

raising the issues on behalf of their constituents, but also 

understand the importance of working together. 

I know everyone has already placed into the Record all of 

PAUL’s background, experience and things that he did to represent the great State of Ohio. Again, I stand here as a colleague and a friend to talk about my experiences with PAUL

GILLMOR, to record them in my memory, and to smile, because at these times it is often hard to smile and lift up a 

time of laughter. But I call upon all of our friends and colleagues and his family to look to the good times, to look to 

all the great memories, and, over time, time will heal some 

of the wounds. 

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the leader, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Boehner). 

Mr. BOEHNER. Mr. Speaker, let me thank the dean of our 

delegation for bringing this resolution to the floor, and thank 

my colleague from Cleveland, Mrs. Jones, for her enlightening remarks and lightening this up. 

I was here earlier to announce PAUL’s passing to the 

House. I can remember the first time I met PAUL GILLMOR. 

I was a brand new State legislator. It was 1985, and it 

wasn’t at the statehouse; it was down the street at the Pewter Mug. 

Now, for those of us who served in the statehouse, we have 

all been to the Pewter Mug. That is where I got to know 

PAUL GILLMOR. He was the senate president; I was a lowly 

new House member, and Helen used to come over and wait 

on us. For those who came to the statehouse who went to the 

Pewter Mug, you would remember Helen, because you could 

never forget her, and she would never forget PAUL. 

I got to know PAUL GILLMOR. In 1986, PAUL decided to run 

for Governor in a Republican primary, and I was on his 

team. As a matter of fact, it might have been one of the first 

political checks I actually wrote was to PAUL GILLMOR when 

he ran for Governor. Unfortunately, he didn’t win that primary election, but I really got to know PAUL GILLMOR. 

He really was a public servant who enjoyed what he did, 

who enjoyed representing people, and someone who came to 

Congress right before I did. He came in 1988; I came in 

1990. We have been close friends over the 17 years that we 

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have worked here together. We worked on a number of 

issues. 

PAUL loved to understand what was happening around the 

world, and he certainly did his share of traveling to try to 

understand what was happening. But his work on the Energy and Commerce Committee, his work over in the Financial Services Committee will speak for itself. 

But earlier this year, I think it was mentioned by the gentleman from Texas, Mr. Barton, earlier this year we lost our 

majority, we lost a number of seats, and PAUL GILLMOR took 

the magnanimous step of relinquishing his seat on the Energy and Commerce Committee to take a seat on the Financial Services Committee to help make room for other Members. It was that kindness and consideration that I think all 

of us will remember about PAUL GILLMOR. 

Karen and the children, our prayers are with you. PAUL

was a great servant, a great friend, and someone who we 

will all miss. 

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the 

gentleman from Ohio, Tim Ryan. 

Mr. RYAN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman, 

and I also thank our friend, the dean of the delegation, Mr. 

Regula. 

I would just add for a minute my thoughts and memories 

of Mr. GILLMOR. I graduated from Bowling Green State University, so I knew of Mr. GILLMOR before I ever got into politics, because as many of the Members from Ohio know, he 

is a legend in northwest Ohio, especially in Bowling Green 

and especially with the Bowling Green Young Republicans. 

He was very familiar. 

I remember, as we all do, taking the little trolley back and 

forth from the office buildings over here, and for some reason 

our conversations always ended up talking about Ohio State 

football. Mr. GILLMOR loved the Buckeyes. He loved going to 

the Ohio State football games. I remember being in the State 

senate seeing him at the Ohio State football games. That is 

just the kind of guy he was. He loved football, he loved his 

country, he loved his constituents, he loved this institution, 

and he certainly will be missed. 

So from the citizens of the 17th District, we just want to 

thank Mr. GILLMOR for his service and send our condolences 

and our prayers to his family and his children and his wife 

Karen. And also to say, as Mr. Boehner, the minority leader 

said, he was a gentleman. He was a gentle man. In the 

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midst of all the chaos of Washington, DC, his silence and his 

gentleness were very refreshing, and he will be missed. 

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Bachus). 

Mr. BACHUS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from 

Ohio. 

We have heard words about PAUL GILLMOR, our friend, 

and one word we keep hearing over and over is ‘‘caring.’’ He 

really cared. He cared about his family. You would go in his 

office and you would see the pictures of his family. 

He cared about his staff. Mark Wellman, his chief of staff; 

Dave Oxner, great guys. They were sort of a reflection and 

extension of PAUL. They were gentlemen. They really did not 

care about who got the credit. They were hard workers. I say 

to Mark and Dave, I know that you are grieving right now. 

Mr. Obey mentioned that he cared about this institution. 

He truly did. He cared about every Member. I never heard 

him insult another Member. I never heard him say something unkind. 

He talked about issues. He felt strongly about issues. The 

brownfields legislation was a great example of how he was 

very tenacious, had very strong feelings. He did that earlier 

this year on the industrial loan companies when, as a small 

town banker, mainstream banker, he felt very strongly that 

small town banks were being disadvantaged. But he never 

said anything unkind about those who opposed his position. 

To his credit, I think part of that kindness, that caring, 

and also his capable leadership, that legislation passed the 

House 371 to 16. I think brownfields will be part of his legacy, particularly to the industrial States, the people of Ohio 

that he loved; as will the industrial loan company legislation, 

that really will help preserve small town mainstream banking. 

He was a banker. I had the privilege of appointing PAUL

as the ranking member of the Financial Institutions Subcommittee. I never regretted that decision. I knew that what 

PAUL cared about was not himself or not the glory, but doing 

what was right for the American people. He never disappointed me. I will miss him deeply. 

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I continue to reserve 

the balance of my time. 

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Texas (Mr. Burgess). 

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Mr. BURGESS. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for 

yielding. I thank him for convening this resolution this 

evening and I thank the Ohio delegation for allowing me to 

be part of this remembrance of the life of our friend PAUL

GILLMOR. Like everyone else, I was shocked and saddened 

this morning to hear the news about the loss of our friend. 

We have heard several people talk about Mr. GILLMOR and 

his work on the committee. I remember last year in the 

109th Congress when he was the subcommittee chairman 

and the work he did on persistent organic pollutants. It really was not something I had ever thought about before I came 

to Congress, it really wasn’t something I ever campaigned 

on, but PAUL had a way of explaining it and making it understandable and addressing a very complex issue working 

with both sides of the committee dais to get meaningful legislation passed. 

Then at the end of the 109th Congress, after the election, 

coming back for the 110th Congress, someone explained to 

me the arithmetic that happens when you lose the majority, 

and counting on my fingers the number of seats we had lost 

on the Energy and Commerce Committee and realizing I was 

no longer going to be on that committee, then later PAUL

came to me and said, ‘‘Doc, you are too important on that 

committee, so I am going to stay on Financial Services and 

I will take a leave from Energy and Commerce.’’ 

You heard Ranking Member Barton mention it. You heard 

Leader Boehner mention it. I was the guy who he let stay 

on the committee by his selfless act of taking a leave of absence from a committee that he loved, committee work he 

loved to do. I thank him so much for giving me the opportunity to stay on the committee. 

Of course, we welcomed him back a few weeks ago when 

we needed that extra vote when we were discussing energy 

legislation. And, sure enough, PAUL was there not just to be 

a vote, but he brought amendments with him. He tied things 

up. He behaved just like the PAUL GILLMOR that I had remembered on the committee from the year before. 

So, to his family, I wanted you to know, you had heard me 

mention before how selfless PAUL was about giving up a 

place on the committee. I am the guy who he let stay on the 

committee. I will never forget that, and I will always try to 

live up to his expectations. 

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to our colleague from Ohio (Mr. Jordan). 

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Mr. JORDAN of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I thank the dean of 

our delegation. 

Mr. Speaker, I join my colleagues from Ohio in expressing 

great shock and sadness at the passing of our friend and 

neighbor, Congressman PAUL GILLMOR. 

As previous speakers have mentioned, Congressman 

GILLMOR was in our district last week with the flooding. I 

had the opportunity to just visit with him yesterday, as Congressman Tiberi mentioned as well, at the airport before we 

flew down here. I just can’t believe this has happened. 

PAUL was a husband and a father. He was a proud Republican, an Air Force veteran, as others mentioned, with Vietnam era service, and a long-time congressional expert on 

international leaders. 

Prior to his distinguished service in Congress, he made his 

mark in the Ohio Legislature with an impressive 22-year career in the Ohio Senate, and as Congresswoman Pryce mentioned, three terms as senate president. 

I had the unique opportunity to work with PAUL on issues 

that affected our part of Ohio. I counted on him as a staunch 

ally in promoting the workers and the mission at Lima’s 

Joint Systems Manufacturing Center, our tank plant in 

Lima, Ohio. 

We also shared in challenging times, including the tragic 

Bluffton University bus crash earlier this year, and more recently, as I mentioned, the flooding that took place and devastated many areas of both of our districts. 

I served with PAUL’s wife, Karen, in the general assembly, 

although she was on the senate side and I was on the house 

side, and got to know their family a little bit over the years. 

Our family’s prayers are with her and the entire Gillmor 

family as they attempt to find peace in the midst of this 

tragedy. 

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Alabama (Mr. Aderholt). 

Mr. ADERHOLT. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to join my colleagues in remembering one of our own, PAUL GILLMOR. It 

is moments like this that you realize the fleeting nature of 

time. Indeed, we truly realize the shortness of time and the 

greatness of eternity. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his 

family, his friends and all of the people that he touched during the time he was on this Earth. 

Representative GILLMOR was a friend. He was a gentleman 

whom I had the pleasure of getting to know as a neighbor. 

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Because we lived across the street from each other at one 

time, there were several occasions that we shared a ride 

home after a long night of votes. During those times, I was 

able to gain a small measure of the man and discovered him 

to be generous, kind, and above all, considerate. 

The people of Ohio were privileged to have known him as 

a public servant. The Members of Congress were honored to 

share him as a colleague. His friends were rewarded with his 

company, and his family was embraced by his love. 

We will miss PAUL and remember our time with him and 

honor his memory. May God give Karen and his children an 

extra measure of grace during this most difficult time. 

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from Ohio, Mrs. Schmidt. 

Mrs. SCHMIDT. Mr. Speaker, I am deeply saddened today 

by the news of the loss of my dear friend PAUL GILLMOR. PG, 

as many of us called him, was a shining example of service 

and leadership. As president of the Ohio Senate, he led Ohio 

through good times and bad times with such grace. 

For the last two decades, he fought for all Ohioans here in 

Congress, not just those in his own district. During his entire 

life, PAUL GILLMOR was a true leader, a gentleman and a 

statesman. Most important, he was a nice guy, a true friend 

to all. 

When I was first elected, he became a mentor to me. I 

would always welcome his kind words on the House floor, 

‘‘How is it going, kid?’’ 

Just as important, he was a great father and a loving husband. 

My prayers go out to his wonderful wife Karen and all of 

his children. Ohio has suffered a great loss. America has suffered a great loss. We here in this House have lost a dear 

friend. May God be with you, PAUL. Godspeed. 

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Turner). 

Mr. TURNER. Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the dean of 

our delegation, Ralph Regula, for bringing this resolution forward to honor the life of PAUL GILLMOR. We are all deeply 

saddened by the passing of our dear friend, PAUL GILLMOR. 

I want to tell you one story from when I first got to Congress. Mr. GILLMOR, as I referred to him, as many have said, 

had a gentle spirit and an informal way and a very accepting 

way. When I referred to him as Mr. GILLMOR, he corrected 

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me and said, ‘‘You’re to call me PAUL.’’ You will hear, as almost everyone comes forward today and eulogizes him, as 

they honor him, they refer to him as he had us refer to him, 

and that is PAUL. 

One time we were having dinner and he was talking about 

some of his accomplishments. Brownfields is an area that is 

very important to me. When you look across Ohio and see 

the number of abandoned factory sites and the potential that 

they represent, PAUL told about his work on the Brownfields 

Remediation Act that changed the laws that made it easier 

for those sites to be remediated, and provided tax benefits so 

that capital would be brought to them. 

As you go throughout Ohio today and see abandoned factory sites where buildings are being demolished and new 

buildings and businesses are being built, it is to PAUL’s credit and one of the things he was most proud of, that he was 

able to work to change the laws to help make it easier for 

their sites to be developed. 

He talked about the number of jobs that it brought, not 

just in construction but the jobs that it brought to communities, recognizing the impact on families. 

Most recently, Ohio has been plagued by scandals arising 

from predatory lending. PAUL was a leader in trying to help 

families and communities that had been subject to predatory 

lending. He pulled together the Ohio delegation to talk about 

ways we can impact our neighborhoods and support laws 

that could impact families that had been subject to predatory 

lending. 

PAUL will be remembered as an effective legislator, and as 

someone who cared deeply for Ohio and for this institution 

and for his country, and had an impact on the lives of Ohioans. 

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I yield such time as she 

may consume to the Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi. 

Ms. PELOSI. I thank the gentlewoman for yielding on this 

very sad occasion. I join my colleagues as we face the very 

sad news regarding the loss of our colleague, PAUL GILLMOR. 

Mr. Speaker, on behalf of all Members of Congress, I rise 

to pay tribute to PAUL GILLMOR, who passed away suddenly 

today. I offer my deepest condolences to his wife, Karen, to 

his two daughters, Linda and Julie, and his three sons, Paul 

Michael, Connor, and Adam. How proud he was of his children. That was one thing that we used to chat about quite 

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regularly. I would hear about the progress of the twins and 

how everybody was doing. 

Congressman PAUL GILLMOR was an experienced and talented legislator who spent much of his life serving his country. His service began in the Air Force where he rose to the 

rank of captain as an Air Force judge advocate. As a true 

Ohioan, Congressman GILLMOR then served his State in public office for more than four decades, first in the Ohio State 

Senate where he was elected president of that body, and 

later here in the House where he also served ably and was 

held in high esteem by his colleagues. 

More interested in policy than in seeking the limelight, 

PAUL GILLMOR focused his time here in the House squarely 

on the needs of his constituents. On the Energy and Commerce Committee he was deeply involved in consumer issues, 

including protecting consumers from unfair credit report 

practices. He also worked to preserve our history by supporting and improving sites honoring our Nation’s Presidents. As vice president of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, Congressman GILLMOR was the highest ranking American in this highly esteemed international organization of 

parliamentary members from the 26 NATO states. 

Congressman GILLMOR’s passing is a loss for this House 

and for our Nation. It is, of course, a greater loss for his family. I hope it is a comfort to them, to PAUL’s family and 

friends, that so many people mourn their loss and are praying for them at this sad time. 

Mr. Speaker, this is a sad day for us because we also 

learned of the sudden passing of our former colleague, Jennifer Dunn. She was a distinguished former Member of Congress from the State of Washington, and I know we will acknowledge her service and leadership in the Congress on another occasion. But getting hit from all sides on this in one 

day is a great loss for the Congress. 

As I yield back to the distinguished gentlewoman, I also 

want to thank her for bringing to the attention of so many 

Members of Congress the passing of Congressman Vanik 

who served so ably in this body who passed away last week. 

Anyone who knows about international human rights knows 

that Congressman Vanik as part of the Jackson-Vanik 

amendment did so much to free people in the Soviet Union. 

He made a very big difference for Soviet Jewry. 

Ohio has been generous to the country. We mourn the loss 

of PAUL GILLMOR and Jennifer Dunn and Charles Vanik, the 

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last of whom lived until his nineties, so God blessed him 

with that long life. 

God did not give PAUL GILLMOR a long life, but he gave 

him a life of great quality with a beautiful family and the 

opportunity to serve a State he loved and a country that he 

was very patriotic about. 

On behalf of all of our colleagues, I extend my deepest 

sympathy to his family. 

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Chabot). 

Mr. CHABOT. I thank the gentleman for yielding. 

I stand with my colleagues today to honor the memory of 

PAUL GILLMOR. He was really a great guy. He actually ran 

the first time in 1988 for this esteemed institution, for the 

Congress, the same year I first ran. He won and I didn’t. But 

in 1994 I did get to join him here. 

He was one of the guys who, as other Members have said, 

was just an all around good guy. He really was. You liked 

to talk to him. For some reason, he used to call me Mr. 

Steve; I don’t know why he did that. So I started calling him 

Mr. PAUL, and that is the way we referred to each other. 

Yesterday evening after we had our votes, we had all come 

back into town from the August recess and we were asking 

each other what did you do over the break? What happened 

during the break? He was telling me how he had stayed 

pretty close to home. He had worked with his constituents, 

been with his family for some time, and he wanted to know 

what I had done. I said I had done some of those same 

things, and that I had also had an opportunity to go to 

Darfur where there is probably one of the greatest human 

tragedies that we have seen on Earth in a number of years, 

and he was very interested and wanted to know what we can 

do to help the people in Darfur. So we spent a period of time 

discussing that right outside those doors just last evening. I 

was just shocked when I learned that PAUL had passed away 

suddenly so recently. 

He was somebody I think really made a difference in this 

institution. As has been mentioned, he loved his Buckeyes. 

He would talk about what they had done and how the game 

had been played and how he couldn’t wait to go to the next 

game. And he loved our State of Ohio. He loved the people 

whom he represented. And most especially, he loved his family. 

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We are all going to miss PAUL GILLMOR, and we wish the 

best to his wife Karen and his five children. God bless you, 

PAUL. 

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the 

gentlewoman from New York (Mrs. Maloney). 

Mrs. MALONEY of New York. I thank the gentlewoman 

for yielding, and I rise to express my deep sadness to learn 

of the passing of one of my good friends and colleagues, PAUL

GILLMOR. 

PAUL was the ranking member of the Financial Institutions Subcommittee that I chair, and I had the great privilege of working with him on so many important issues 

throughout the years. In fact, this morning at the hearing we 

were holding on the subprime mortgage crisis I had reserved 

4 minutes for PAUL to speak and he didn’t come to the meeting. He was always punctual, and so we sent a staff member 

out to find him and found out the very sad news. 

PAUL was a distinguished Member of Congress representing Ohio for many years. He held some partisan positions as the minority deputy whip; but on Financial Services, 

he was always ready to reach across the aisle and work in 

a bipartisan way for the safety and soundness of our financial institutions and protections of consumer concerns. 

He had a great deal of experience in banking, and in fact 

had run banks back in his home State of Ohio, so he brought 

the practical common sense of having known the business 

firsthand, and he always had valuable insights. 

Just before we broke for our August work period, we had 

introduced a bill together on file freeze and negotiated various aspects that he thought was important for the bill. He 

was an outstanding person. 

He served during the Vietnam war and he was a distinguished veteran. He served in the Air Force and achieved 

the status of captain. My brother served in Vietnam, and we 

shared conversations about that experience. 

He was an extremely outstanding leader in his home State 

of Ohio, and actually served in the State senate and headed 

the State senate for five terms as minority leader and president (including three of those terms as president) before becoming elected to Congress. 

My heart goes out to his wife and children. I know I speak 

for many of my colleagues when I say that PAUL’s presence 

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standing spouse, husband and father. We are all deeply saddened. 

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Stearns). 

Mr. STEARNS. Mr. Speaker, it is obviously with great 

sadness that we all honor the service of our colleague and 

friend, PAUL GILLMOR. 

PAUL and I came to Congress the same year. We were in 

the 101st Congress and we were both veterans of the U.S. 

Air Force. He obviously expressed a great love for this Nation, for this institution, and I believe sincerely he brought 

credit to all of us. 

This dedication was matched by his love for his family, his 

wife Karen, his two daughters, Linda and Julie, and his 

three sons, Paul Michael, Connor and Adam. I express my 

deepest condolences to the family. 

I had the opportunity when I first met PAUL to talk informally with him about his background. He said he was a 

leader of the senate. Coming from the private sector and not 

understanding the full significance of what that meant, I became acutely aware of what it meant when I heard him in 

informal sessions or in meetings where he had a presence 

about him, an aplomb, and also a sincerity, in which he 

would express his ideas in a way that would get to the meat 

of the issue and cut to the chase. And I realized during this, 

he could do it tactfully. He was not a partisan individual. He 

was bipartisan, in fact. I can’t recollect on the floor him having a really partisan speech because I think it goes to when 

he was a leader of the senate, he understood to get things 

done, he had to develop consensus. So when he went to a 

meeting, he listened more than he talked and he also 

stepped forward with the idea of what we should do in a very 

nice way such that most people would say at the end of the 

meeting, ‘‘Wow, PAUL GILLMOR made the most sense.’’ 

Another vignette is when he was in the speaker’s chair. I 

watched when there would be a huge din on the floor, and 

somehow his voice rose to such a crescendo and also a pitch 

that he could pierce this noise and bring order and stability 

to the House here. I used to watch him also with great admiration on how he did this. It was a tribute to his leadership 

and also his background as leader of the senate. 

So I come to the House floor to say his dedication and expertise will be greatly missed. He has had 40 years of public 

service. He established a long record of working for average 

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Americans. God bless the Gillmor family, and God bless 

PAUL GILLMOR. 

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, how much time is remaining? 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Ohio 

(Mr. Regula) has 2 minutes. 

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 

both sides have 5 additional minutes. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Ohio? 

There was no objection. 

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the 

gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Space). 

Mr. SPACE. Mr. Speaker, I’d like to thank my colleague 

for yielding the time. 

I’m a first-year lawmaker here in Washington and came in 

with this new majority in a very partisan time in American 

political history, a time where too often we’re preoccupied 

with political bickering, a time when we needed more people 

like PAUL GILLMOR on this floor. 

PAUL befriended me. We, by chance, both flew out of the 

Columbus Airport to and from Washington, so we had a 

chance to sit and talk about nonlegislative matters, about 

our families, about some of the nonpolitical aspects of this 

job. And PAUL was one to give advice, despite the fact that 

we’re on the opposite sides of the aisle. He provided me, as 

a good man would, with the wisdom he’s obtained, and as a 

freshman, I was very grateful to him for his help. 

I didn’t know PAUL before being elected to the House last 

November, but we share many mutual friends. Harry Meshel 

is a dear friend of mine, a former president of the Ohio Senate, was a good friend of PAUL’s and spoke very highly of 

PAUL. And I think it’s a testament to the kind of person he 

is that he would engender that kind of friendship and support, regardless of where one stands on the political aisle. 

One other small anecdote that I think sums PAUL up. A 

very good friend of mine worked in the Ohio caucus 20 years 

ago when PAUL was with the Ohio Senate, and recently this 

friend returned to Columbus and ran into PAUL who was 

there while on break. PAUL still remembered this man, not 

just his last name, but his first name, and greeted him as 

a friend after 20 years. 

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That’s the kind of man PAUL GILLMOR was. That’s the kind 

of man I will remember, and my deepest and heartfelt condolences from not just me but the many good folks of Ohio’s 

18th District go out to PAUL and his family. He and they are 

in our prayers. 

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Price). 

Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend for 

yielding. 

This is truly a day of great sadness for our conference, for 

this House, for the State of Ohio and, yes, Mr. Speaker, for 

our Nation. 

Though only in my second term in Congress, I came to 

know and appreciate PAUL GILLMOR, serving on one of his 

committees, Financial Services, and I came to appreciate him 

for many different and wonderful attributes. He had a warm 

and gentle temperament, a calm and friendly demeanor, a 

measured and thoughtful reason, and was a respected and 

respectful legislator. These and so many other attributes 

shall be missed by one and all. 

I join my colleagues in extending our thoughts and our 

prayers to his constituents, to his friends, and most of all, to 

his family. We are truly a better Nation because of the service of PAUL GILLMOR. 

May God rest his soul. 

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Blunt), the minority whip. 

Mr. BLUNT. Mr. Speaker, I thank my good friend for 

yielding and for managing this recognition of our colleague 

PAUL GILLMOR. 

Like so many people in this room, I’ve had lots of experiences with PAUL, and they were all good, whether they were 

watching him represent our country in diplomatic situations 

in his role leading our NATO parliamentary effort, one of the 

leaders in that effort, or whether it was every Thursday 

when we had the deputy whip meeting and talked about 

where we ought to be going as a conference, where we ought 

to be going as a country. 

I remember PAUL said to me one time, ‘‘You know, that’s 

my favorite meeting of the week because that’s where we 

talk about the future,’’ and PAUL GILLMOR was a future-oriented guy who loved his family, who loved his country, who 

loved the concept of public service. And he performed that 

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public service well, whether it was years in the Ohio State 

Senate or two decades in the U.S. Congress. 

We will truly miss him. We are surprised at his leaving us 

way too early. His contributions would have continued to be 

great here, and the country will suffer from the loss that we 

feel today. 

I also want to reach out to his family. And as I said, PAUL

loved his country, but he also loved his family. And you 

didn’t have to spend much time with him to find out that 

deep love he had for his sons, for his daughters, for his wife 

and for his extended family. And I appreciate him so much, 

and I’m going to join his family and his friends in missing 

him. His place here will be hard to fill, and his contributions 

have been great. 

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that 

both sides have an additional 5 minutes each. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentleman from Ohio? 

There was no objection. 

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield so much time as he 

may consume to the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Hobson), a 

good friend of PAUL’s, a good friend of our Ohio delegation. 

Mr. HOBSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to remember our 

good friend PAUL GILLMOR. Just yesterday, the three of us 

rode in together from Columbus. 

I saw him in the airport, and I said, ‘‘Hi, Gillmo.’’ He said, 

‘‘Hi, Honorable Dave,’’ and we started to talk, as we did 

often, because we’ve known each other a long time. 

And I said, What’d you do, and he told me about going to 

the floods. And then he told me about his boat and the times 

he was having on the lake with his children and Karen, and 

he was happy. 

Then we started to talk business, because PAUL wasn’t just 

a legislator. He was a businessman, too, and he was starting 

a bank in Florida. He said, ‘‘You want to invest?’’ I said, 

‘‘Well, we’ve been talking about that.’’ So we talked about 

that for a while, and he was happy, and we were all happy. 

We were colleagues, friends. 

I wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for PAUL GILLMOR. 

When PAUL GILLMOR was president of the senate, I lost an 

election and got appointed to the State senate. PAUL

GILLMOR was president then for a few more weeks before we 

became the minority, and he helped pick me. He picked me, 

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and the newspaper read ‘‘Loser Wins.’’ But PAUL GILLMOR

set me on the way. 

I’ve never lost another election, thanks to PAUL GILLMOR. 

PAUL GILLMOR was always there, and I think his staff knows 

that. 

I met a young man then in the State senate named Mark 

Wellman who was working for PAUL then. He works with 

PAUL to this day. That’s the kind of loyalty people had to 

PAUL GILLMOR. 

I know of no politician in Ohio today who doesn’t have respect for PAUL GILLMOR and wasn’t his friend. He transcended partisanship. He had his way about the things he 

had to get done, but it never became personal. 

When we were in the legislature, both sides had great respect for PAUL GILLMOR, and we used to meet together and 

talk about things together. PAUL GILLMOR was a unique person in that respect because there’s always somebody out 

there who has got it in for somebody, but they didn’t have 

it in for PAUL GILLMOR because he was what I would call a 

true gentleman. 

We’re SAEs and Ralph’s an SAE, too, and PAUL went to 

Ohio Wesleyan, and I went to Ohio Wesleyan. We went there 

at the same time. But I would meet people when I got in the 

State senate, and they asked, ‘‘Do you know SKIP, SKIP

GILLMOR’’? I said, ‘‘No, I don’t know SKIP GILLMOR. I know 

Senator GILLMOR.’’ But he was SKIP GILLMOR to all the people at Ohio Wesleyan. They loved him at Ohio Wesleyan, and 

they still do. One of the first calls I got today was from people at Ohio Wesleyan asking, What do we do? I said I don’t 

know. 

We’ve lost a good friend. I hope Karen and the children 

can review the statements that have been made about PAUL

today. It’s something that is not said about a lot of people. 

He was a good man, he was a great man, and he was a great 

father to his children, which is the most important thing, 

and we’re going to miss him. 

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself 1 minute. I just 

want to say, too, that PAUL cared a lot about his staff. He 

was always a person who cared for others, and particularly 

his staff, and I want the members of his staff to know that 

we understand the great loss that they feel. 

I guess particularly when I left the Ohio Senate, my staff 

person was inherited by PAUL, and we used to often talk 

about Celia Forker, about Celia did this and Celia did that, 

because we both shared a great fondness for her. I know that 

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PAUL felt that way about his staff here. It’s a great loss to 

his staff to have a Member that had the caring concern that 

he did. 

Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, the people 

of Ohio have lost a dedicated public servant and genuine 

leader today with the passing of Congressman PAUL

GILLMOR. As a colleague and friend in the House of Representatives, PAUL was a strong voice for the needs and interests of the people he represented as well as a model of integrity. 

In addition to the almost 20 years he served as a Member 

of Congress and the two decades he spent in the Ohio State 

Senate, PAUL was also a veteran of the U.S. Air Force serving on active duty during Vietnam. 

As a fellow member of the Republican whip team, I enjoyed sitting with PAUL at the weekly meetings where he always was perceptive and provided insight from his decades 

of legislative service. 

Our thoughts and prayers are with PAUL’s family during 

these difficult times. 

Mr. FOSSELLA. Mr. Speaker I rise today to pay tribute to 

the life of Congressman PAUL GILLMOR and offer my sincere 

condolences to his family. My wife and I extend our sympathies to PAUL’s wife Karen and their five children. I know 

that no words can provide comfort during this difficult time 

or shine light on this period of darkness, but please know 

that PAUL’s family remains in my thoughts and prayers. 

I had the pleasure to work closely with PAUL as a member 

of both the Energy and Commerce Committee and Financial 

Services Committee for nearly 10 years. I got to see firsthand his passion for public service, his commitment to the 

people of Ohio and the earnest way in which he approached 

his job. He truly loved representing his community and making a positive difference in their lives and the lives of all 

Americans. 

The Fifth District of Ohio was well served with PAUL

GILLMOR in office, and he will be remembered dearly for his 

many years of public service. 

Mr. REGULA. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests for 

time, and I yield back the balance of our time. 

Mrs. JONES of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I have no further requests and join with my colleagues issuing condolences to 

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the Gillmor family, and I yield back the balance of my time 

as well. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, the previous question is ordered on the resolution. 

There was no objection. 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the resolution. 

The resolution was agreed to. 

A motion to reconsider was laid on the table. 

Mrs. MYRICK. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the 

late PAUL GILLMOR. PAUL was a gentle, compassionate man 

who will be missed by all of us in Congress, as well as by 

those in his district. Our hearts go out to Karen and his children during this difficult time. 

I’m an Ohio native and before redistricting, PAUL represented my family members in Ohio. 

His wife Karen served on the Heidelberg College Board of 

Trustees with me, and I know all the Heidelberg family also 

mourns his passing. He was an ardent supporter of the college. 

Please keep his family in your prayers. 

Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in heartfelt sorrow to mourn the passing of the Honorable PAUL E. 

GILLMOR, a true friend and a wonderful statesman for the 

people of Ohio. I was greatly saddened when I was told the 

terrible news of his passing this morning. The House of Representatives has lost a hardworking leader who was a friend 

to many on both sides of the aisle in this Chamber. 

My heart goes out to his wife Karen, and their children 

Linda, Julie, Paul Michael, Adam, and Connor during this 

difficult time. I will be keeping his memory, and his surviving family in my thoughts and prayers. I pray for his 

Washington, DC, and Ohio congressional staffers who have 

served him and the people of the Fifth Congressional District 

of Ohio. 

Congressman GILLMOR never forgot his roots and he was 

always a champion for the people who he represented in 

Congress. He won his first primary election for Congress by 

only 27 votes; the grit and determination that carried him to 

victory on that day never left him for the remainder of his 

service in Congress. When I first arrived at the House in 

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ice to this House. I have lost a friend, and words cannot fully 

express my sorrow in his passing. God bless. 

Mr. WOLF. Mr. Speaker, I rise with our colleagues today 

to pay tribute to the lifetime of public service of our late colleague PAUL GILLMOR of Ohio. 

I know this House today is in shock at the devastating 

news of PAUL’s passing just last night. I join in expressing 

profound sympathy to PAUL’s family—his wife Karen, two 

daughters, Linda and Julie, and three sons, Paul Michael, 

and twins Connor and Adam. Our thoughts and prayers are 

with them. 

PAUL, who began his 10th term in the House in January, 

chose a noble life of serving his country. A graduate of Ohio 

Wesleyan University and the University of Michigan Law 

School, he attained the rank of captain while on active duty 

as an Air Force judge advocate during the Vietnam war. Before coming to Congress as the Representative of the Fifth 

District of Ohio, he diligently served the people of Ohio for 

22 years in the Ohio Senate. As a State senator, he was 

unanimously elected Republican leader five times, and 

served as president of the senate for three general assemblies. 

PAUL was a respected Member of this House and friend to 

those on both sides of the aisle. He loved this institution and 

worked hard for the people of his district and for all Americans not only on national issues, but he also was unanimously elected in 2006 by representatives of the 26 NATO 

countries to serve as vice president of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. 

Mr. Speaker, in remembering PAUL GILLMOR and his 

proud life of public service, I am reminded of the words of 

scripture in Matthew 25: ‘‘Well done, good and faithful servant.’’ 

This House and this Nation will miss the service of PAUL

GILLMOR. God bless you PAUL, and God’s blessings on your 

family and many friends and constituents in Ohio. 

Mr. WALSH of New York. Madam Speaker, I rise today to 

honor my friend and colleague, the Honorable PAUL

GILLMOR. 

Throughout his life PAUL was a dedicated servant for the 

people of his home State of Ohio and his country. He proudly 

served in the U.S. Air Force, attaining the rank of captain. 

In 1967 PAUL began what would become a long and successful political career. He served 22 years in the Ohio State 

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Senate, and he served as Republican leader five times. A 

classmate of mine, in 1989 he began the first of 10 terms in 

the U.S. House of Representatives serving the people of the 

Fifth District in Ohio. PAUL was the senior member of the 

Committee on Financial Services and the ranking Republican on the Financial Institutions Subcommittee. He also 

served as a member of the Subcommittees on Capital Markets and Housing. PAUL had a lot of responsibilities in serving the second largest district in Ohio, but he did so valiantly and with tremendous success, showing that he was a 

true leader. He served eight terms as a member of the Republican whip team, including serving as deputy minority 

whip. PAUL was also unanimously elected to serve as vice 

president of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. His ability 

to lead earned PAUL great respect among his colleagues and 

his constituents. 

His length and success of service was evidence of how he 

truly listened to his constituents and did all that he could to 

help them. He was the consummate professional—always 

putting the best interests of his constituents and his country 

ahead of partisanship by being willing to work across party 

lines to successfully achieve goals. 

PAUL was a soldier, a State senator, and a Congressman, 

but the roles he cherished most were that of husband and father. Few things meant more to PAUL than his constituency, 

but his family definitely ranked number one in his life. 

PAUL’s five children were his pride and joy. His happiest 

times were spent with his wife and children. 

My deepest heartfelt condolences go out to PAUL’s wife 

Karen and his children Linda, Julie, Paul Michael, Connor, 

and Adam. My thoughts and prayers and those of my wife 

Dede are with them at this difficult time, and we thank 

them for sharing PAUL with us for so many years. He was 

a wonderful friend and colleague and will be sorely missed. 

Mr. EHLERS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to 

my good friend, Representative PAUL GILLMOR. I learned of 

his sudden passing, and my wife and I are greatly saddened 

by this news. I offer my prayers of support to his wife Karen 

and their two daughters, Linda and Julie, and their three 

sons, Paul Michael and twins Connor and Adam. 

I take great pride in knowing such an honorable gentleman who humbly served his country and constituents. 

PAUL began his life of public service as a judge advocate in 

the Air Force during the Vietnam conflict from 1965 to 1966. 

He continued his service as a State senator for 22 years and 

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was president of the Ohio Senate for three general assemblies. Ever since he was first elected to Congress in 1988, he 

has honorably represented his constituents in the most ethical manner. He was reelected to each subsequent Congress 

by substantial margins, indicating the trust and confidence 

his constituents placed in him. He served them well and diligently. 

Representative GILLMOR and I were both long-time congressional representatives to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. PAUL was particularly active in this organization 

and served several years as chair of the important Economic 

and Security Committee, and most recently has been serving 

as the vice president of the entire Assembly. In all Assembly 

activities, Representative GILLMOR conscientiously and honorably represented the interests of the United States. 

Above all, PAUL was a good friend, confidant, and advisor 

to me. He was a fountain of wisdom and sage advice, and I 

deeply appreciated his friendship and that of his wife Karen. 

My wife and I both enjoyed their company as we traveled together to NATO meetings to represent the United States. 

Karen and PAUL were particularly proud of their children, 

and often told us about their development and prowess. 

We will all miss PAUL, and express our condolences to 

Karen and the children. He made an important mark on the 

history of our Nation and the world. Our country is the better for his participation in the Congress and the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. 

May God bless Karen, the children, and all PAUL’s relatives, and give them comfort and strength during this time 

of sorrow. 

Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay 

tribute to a great American and a Member of this House. 

PAUL E. GILLMOR was a veteran, lawyer, businessman, and 

Member of Congress from Ohio. 

Congressman GILLMOR was a respected Member of this 

body and respected by all who knew him. He was actually 

a legislator’s legislator. He was known often to put aside partisan politics and reach across the aisle to legislate in a bipartisan manner for the best interests of the American people. 

In 1961 he received a bachelor of arts degree from Ohio 

Wesleyan University. Although he was a lifelong Buckeye, 

PAUL GILLMOR received a law degree from the University of 

Michigan Law School. From 1965 to 1966, he served his 

country in the U.S. Air Force as a judge advocate, attaining 

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the rank of captain. In 1983 he married Karen Lako, who 

also served in the Ohio Senate. He had five children: daughters Linda and Julie and sons Paul Michael and twins Adam 

and Connor. 

Before he came to Capitol Hill in 1988, he spent 22 years 

in the Ohio statehouse where he became the senate president for three terms. He got to know the people, because half 

of this work is getting to know the people. His presence will 

be greatly missed and we all mourn his loss and extend our 

sincerest condolences to his family and friends. 

More interested in policy than in seeking the limelight, 

PAUL GILLMOR focused his time here in the House squarely 

on the needs of his constituents. On the Energy and Commerce Committee he was deeply involved in consumer issues, 

including protecting consumers from unfair credit report 

practices. He also worked to preserve our history by supporting and improving sites honoring our Nation’s Presidents. 

PAUL GILLMOR was unanimously elected in 2006 by representatives of the 26 NATO countries to serve as vice president of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly. As vice president of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, Congressman 

GILLMOR was the highest ranking American in this highly 

esteemed international organization. 

Most recently, Ohio has been plagued by scandals arising 

from predatory lending, and Representative GILLMOR was a 

leader in trying to help families and communities that had 

been subject to predatory lending, pulling together the Ohio 

delegation to identify ways we can impact our neighborhoods 

and support laws that could impact families that had been 

subject to predatory lending. 

Mr. Speaker, a dear colleague has fallen but he will not be 

forgotten. We are all saddened by our loss but we are happy 

to have served with him. Our prayers and condolences go out 

to his widow Karen, his five children, and to thousands of 

his friends around the Nation. He touched so many lives during his career in politics, and he will truly be missed by me 

and the American people. 

ADJOURNMENT 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Without objection, and pursuant to House Resolution 632, the House stands adjourned 

until 10 a.m. tomorrow as a further mark of respect to the 

memory of the late Honorable PAUL E. GILLMOR. 

There was no objection. 

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Accordingly (at 9 o’clock and 19 minutes p.m.), the House 

adjourned until tomorrow, Thursday, September 6, 2007, at 

10 a.m. 

FRIDAY, September 7, 2007 

PRAYER 

The Chaplain, the Reverend Daniel P. Coughlin, offered 

the following prayer: 

Shaken by the news of the sudden death of Congressman 

PAUL GILLMOR of Ohio and mindful also of the passing of 

former Members, the Honorable Jennifer Dunn and Charles 

Vanik, we turn to You, Lord God of the living and the dead. 

In Your wisdom You called them and all deceased Members of this Chamber to serve their brothers and sisters in 

the backyards, fields, and streets of their districts, and yet 

represent them in this legislative body of the Nation. 

Now called from this life, welcome them into Your presence, that they may enjoy the eternal justice and peace they 

sought here on Earth. Reward their public service with Your 

profound mercy and eternal rest. Comfort their families in 

this time of sorrow and loss. 

God of faithfulness, enable all these who respectfully 

mourn now to press on with renewed faith and seek Your 

kingdom, trusting in Your loving guidance and the promise 

of eternal reward, both now and forever. 

Amen. 

Mr. SENSENBRENNER. Mr. Speaker, earlier this week 

the House of Representatives lost a giant, and the people of 

Ohio and indeed all Americans lost a true legislative workman with the passing of Congressman PAUL GILLMOR. 

When I first was elected to this House, I was told by 

former President Gerald Ford, who served with distinction 

here for many, many years, that there are two types of Representatives: The workhorse and the show horse. The show 

horse, you see their face on TV all the time and they issue 

bombastic press releases. It is the workhorses that get the 

work done in this Chamber for the American people. 

PAUL GILLMOR was a workhorse. Not only was he a workhorse and a true legislative craftsman, but he applied what 

those of us who live in the upper Midwest refer to as Midwestern common sense. We think that we have maybe more 

of that than those that live in other parts of the country. But 

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PAUL’s Midwestern common sense meant that the legislative 

activities that he was engaged in were done professionally 

and were done for the benefit of all Americans. 

I am sorry to see PAUL pass. We have all lost a giant. 

Cheryl and I send our condolences to his wife and his children. 

Mr. HOYER. . . . On Tuesday, the House will meet at 10:30 

a.m. in a pro forma session. There will be no votes. No legislative business or votes are expected. The tragic loss of Mr. 

GILLMOR saddened us all. His funeral is on that day, and 

many Members will be attending. It will take place that 

morning in Ohio. . . . 

Mr. BLUNT. I thank the gentleman. I also thank the gentleman for his accommodation to the schedule. I know I want 

to go and many other Members will want to attend the memorial service for our good friend PAUL GILLMOR who did so 

much work for his constituents in this House. . . . 

FRIDAY, September 14, 2007 

APPOINTMENT OF MEMBERS TO THE COMMITTEE TO ATTEND 

FUNERAL OF THE LATE HONORABLE PAUL E. GILLMOR 

The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 

632, and the order of the House of January 4, 2007, the 

Chair announces the Speaker’s appointment of the following 

Members of the House to the committee to attend the funeral of the late Honorable PAUL E. GILLMOR: 

Mr. Regula, Ohio 

Mr. Boehner, Ohio 

Mr. Blunt, Missouri 

The members of the Ohio delegation: 

Ms. Kaptur 

Mr. Hobson 

Ms. Pryce 

Mr. Chabot 

Mr. LaTourette 

Mr. Kucinich 

Mrs. Jones 

Mr. Tiberi 

Mr. Turner 

Mr. Ryan 

Mrs. Schmidt 

Mr. Jordan 

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Mr. Space 

Ms. Sutton 

Mr. Wilson, and 

Mr. Lewis, California 

Mr. Petri, Wisconsin 

Mr. Hall, Texas 

Mr. Barton, Texas 

Mr. Kanjorski, Pennsylvania 

Mr. Upton, Michigan 

Mr. McNulty, New York 

Mr. Stearns, Florida 

Mr. Tanner, Tennessee 

Mr. Bachus, Alabama 

Mr. Mica, Florida 

Mr. Watt, North Carolina 

Mr. Ehlers, Michigan 

Mr. LaHood, Illinois 

Mr. Shadegg, Arizona 

Mr. Wicker, Mississippi 

Mrs. Emerson, Missouri 

Mr. Aderholt, Alabama 

Mrs. Biggert, Illinois 

Mr. Moore, Kansas 

Mr. Reynolds, New York 

Ms. Schakowsky, Illinois 

Mr. Walden, Oregon 

Mr. Pence, Indiana 

Mr. Ross, Arkansas 

Mr. Forbes, Virginia 

Mr. Boozman, Arkansas 

Mr. Wilson, South Carolina 

Mr. Cole, Oklahoma 

Mr. Gingrey, Georgia 

Mr. King, Iowa 

Mr. Chandler, Kentucky 

Mr. Inglis, South Carolina 

Mr. Conaway, Texas 

Mr. Dent, Pennsylvania 

Mr. Price, Georgia 

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[ 40 ] 

THURSDAY, October 18, 2007 

Mr. TANNER. . . . I wish to add that this was the first 

meeting [of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly] in many 

years that we were without our friend, the late Representative PAUL GILLMOR. He had been my delegation co-chair 

since the beginning of the 110th Congress, and we conducted 

many meetings together, in harmony and friendship. He 

served in a number of offices in the NATO Parliamentary 

Assembly, and was always the voice of reason and judiciousness. He was widely admired, not only here in the United 

States, but by his Assembly colleagues across the political 

spectrum. There was a moving tribute to his memory during 

the plenary session of the Assembly on October 9. He will be 

greatly missed. . . . 

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Proceedings in the Senate 

WEDNESDAY, October 17, 2007 

STATEMENTS ON INTRODUCED BILLS AND JOINT RESOLUTIONS 

By Mr. VOINOVICH (for himself and Mr. Brown): 

S. 2174. A bill to designate the facility of the United States 

Postal Service located at 175 South Monroe Street in Tiffin, 

Ohio, as the ‘‘Paul E. Gillmor Post Office Building’’; to the 

Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. 

Mr. VOINOVICH. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce 

legislation to name the Post Office in Tiffin, Ohio, after the 

late U.S. Representative PAUL E. GILLMOR. It is my honor to 

introduce this bill because of my close relationship with Congressman GILLMOR, and the utmost respect I have for him 

and his service to the people of Ohio. I would like to thank 

Senator Brown for his cosponsorship. 

PAUL and I met four decades ago in 1967 when we began 

our careers together, PAUL as a State senator and I as a 

member of the Ohio House. PAUL was immensely successful 

and well respected because he treated others with dignity 

and respect. 

During his tenure as president of the Ohio Senate, he was 

able to put partisan politics aside and work together with 

Governor Celeste for the best interests of the State. 

PAUL had a wonderful knack for being able to work with 

people to get things done. He led by example, and his enthusiasm and ability always made you want to be on his team. 

He left an indelible mark on the people he worked with 

which is a part of his wonderful, lasting legacy. 

When I came to the Senate I knew I had a real friend in 

PAUL GILLMOR. My only regret is that I did not have more 

time to spend with him. 

Because of PAUL’s diligent and devoted service to his country, it is fitting that the post office in Tiffin, Ohio, should 

soon bear his name. Not far from his small home town of Old 

Fort, Ohio; Tiffin was chosen in concurrence with the wishes 

of his wife, Karen Gillmor. 

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[ 43 ] 

The Honorable 

Paul E. Gillmor 

Date of Birth Date of Death 

February 1, 1939 September 5, 2007 


37600.002
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[ 44 ] 

Paul E. Gillmor: A Record of Service 

Captain, United States Air Force 

1965–1966 

Member of the Ohio Senate 

1967–1988 

Republican Leader, Ohio Senate 

1978–1988 

President, Ohio Senate 

1981–1982, 1985–1988 

Recognized as one of the Ten Most Outstanding 

Legislators in the United States by the National Republican 

Legislators Assoc. 

1983 

Member of the U.S. House of Representatives 

1989–2007 

Ranking Republican Member 

Committee on House Administration 

Subcommittee on Accounts 

1989–1991 

Deputy Republican Whip 

1995–2007 

Chairman 

Committee on Energy & Commerce Subcommittee on 

Environment & Hazardous Materials 

2001–2007 

Chairman 

NATO Parliamentary Assembly Committee on 

Economics and Security 

2002–2006 

Vice President, North America 

NATO Parliamentary Assembly 

2006–2007 

Ranking Republican Member 

Committee on Financial Services Subcommittee on 

Financial Institutions & Consumer Credit 

2007 

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[ 45 ] 

Paul E. Gillmor Memorial Service 

Statehouse Atrium 

Tuesday, September 11, 2007 

Musical Prelude 

Welcome 

Master of Ceremonies 

Senator Randy Gardner, 2nd District 

Invocation 

The Reverend Jim Lillibridge 

Pastor, Indian Run United Methodist Church 

Remarks 

Governor Ted Strickland 

President Bill Harris, Ohio Senate 

Speaker Jon Husted 

Ohio House of Representatives 

Chief Justice Thomas J. Moyer 

Supreme Court of Ohio 

Stanley J. Aronoff 

Former President, Ohio Senate 

You Raise Me Up lyrics by Josh Groban 

Vocalist: James ‘‘Jack’’ France 

Remarks 

United States Senator George V. Voinovich 

Republican Leader John Boehner 

United States House of Representatives, 8th District, Ohio 

Congressman Ralph Regula, 16th District, Ohio 

Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur, 9th District, Ohio 

Congressman John Tanner, 8th District, Tennessee 

Tom Suddes, Op-Ed Columnist, The Plain Dealer 

Thank You 

Karen L. Gillmor, PhD 

Benediction 

The Reverend Jim Lillibridge 

Recessional 

Music by 

Members of the Columbus Symphony Orchestra 

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[ 46 ] 

In Memory of 

The Honorable Paul E. Gillmor 

Final Resting Place 

Pleasant Union Cemetery 

Old Fort, Ohio 

If it is encouraging, let him encourage; 

if it is contributing to the needs of others, 

let him give generously; 

if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; 

if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. 

—Romans 12:8 


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[ 47 ] 

SENATOR RANDY GARDNER. Good morning. To Governor 

and Mrs. Strickland, State officeholders, past and present, 

members of the Ohio Senate and the Ohio House of Representatives, Members of Congress, to those who served on 

the staff of both Senator GILLMOR and Congressman 

GILLMOR, Mrs. Gillmor and family, and to all who have gathered here today to mourn the passing of the Honorable PAUL

E. GILLMOR and also to celebrate the life of this great man, 

welcome to the Ohio statehouse. 

We have known PAUL GILLMOR by many titles and in 

many ways over the years. He has been called senator, senate president, Congressman, Air Force captain, husband, father, grandfather, and friend. Indeed to many of us, one of 

the very best friends we could ever have. PAUL GILLMOR’s 

more than 40 years of public service is known to be one of 

the most distinguished careers in Ohio politics. But even 

more important than the titles, and the awards, and the accomplishments in both the senate and in Congress, he will 

best be remembered by many of us as just one of the finest, 

most decent and honorable people we have ever known. 

A number of PAUL’s colleagues have been asked to share 

with us today. First for our opening prayer I would call on 

the Reverend Jim Lillibridge of the Indian Run United Methodist Church of Dublin followed by Governor Ted Strickland. 

Reverend Lillibridge. 

REVEREND JIM LILLIBRIDGE. Thank you Senator Gardner. If you’re able would you please stand with me. 

Let us pray. 

Almighty God our Heavenly Father from whom we come 

and to whom our spirits return. You have been our dwelling 

place in all generations. You alone are our refuge and 

strength in time of need. May Your spirit fall fresh upon us 

as we gather here today. And as we shrink before the mystery of death, grant us Your grace, that we might see the 

light of eternity. 

We pause today, gracious God, to praise You for the great 

company of all those who have finished their course in faith 

and now rest from their labor. We praise You for those dear 

to us whom we name in our hearts before You. 

And especially today Heavenly Father, we praise You for 

PAUL E. GILLMOR whom you have graciously received into 

Your presence. For his life we thank You. For the ways in 

which You carefully formed and made him. Thank You for 

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it within him. We thank You God for his merciful heart and 

cheerful attitude, his skillful diplomacy and encouraging 

ways, his calm presence, humble spirit, and willingness to always go with the flow, for his love of home, community, and 

Nation; and most certainly we thank You most Heavenly Father for his love and devotion to his family. Family was everything to PAUL GILLMOR. And for all that he was and for 

his memory that continues to live on in all our hearts, we 

thank You and praise You most gracious God. 

And now as we continue our service today grant us the assurance of Your presence, that we who are anxious and fearful in the face of death may confidently face the future in the 

knowledge that You have prepared a place for all who love 

you through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

You may be seated. 

GOVERNOR TED STRICKLAND. With the passing of PAUL

GILLMOR, Ohio has lost a devoted servant of the people. 

Today we face a moment of great sadness. But we also remember a lifetime that is worthy of our celebration today. 

It’s not in vain, the poet wrote, that a man serves his fellow 

man. 

To PAUL’s wife Karen, his daughters Linda and Julie, his 

sons Paul Michael, Adam, and Connor, and to his grandchildren, you will hear heartfelt tributes today to PAUL’s 

dedicated service in the U.S. House and in the Ohio Senate. 

And there could be no doubt that his work touched all of the 

people of Ohio, his work touched our Nation, and the people 

of the world. 

But having had the privilege of serving in the House with 

PAUL, I know that his proudest days came not from bills he 

passed or elections he won. On his proudest days, he was 

blessed by the birth of his children and the beautiful moments of their lives. For all of PAUL’s family in your time of 

grief, may his love provide comfort to you and may his 

strength provide strength to you. 

The words that those of us who knew PAUL used to describe him are probably not the first words that one would 

associate with a politician. PAUL was a humble man, unselfish, thoughtful, decent, a man of his word. He dedicated his 

professional life to politics. From the time he was 27 years 

old, he served every day of his life in elected office. 

He pursued a life in politics not for the material gain— 

PAUL had the resources to live a life of ease, but he chose 

a life of larger concerns. 

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He pursued a life in politics not for attention. PAUL wasn’t 

one to shout. He wasn’t one to chase television cameras or 

grab headlines. ‘‘I’m just a plain vanilla type of guy,’’ he said 

of himself. 

PAUL pursued a life in politics not for the fight of it. PAUL

was dedicated to his principles, but he understood that his 

adversaries were not his enemies. 

Indeed, longtime Ohio Speaker Vern Riffe said that it was 

easier to get things done for the great State of Ohio when 

PAUL was the senate president, than when members of 

Riffe’s own party were in charge. 

PAUL pursued a life in politics to do good. He lived his beliefs. He was dedicated to his constituents. He applied his 

knowledge every day that he was in office. 

In just the last few months, PAUL used his vast experience 

on banking issues and joined with a bipartisan group of colleagues to work on a bill protecting homebuyers from predatory lenders. 

Thinking of PAUL, I remember the words of the young missionary Jim Elliot who was killed on the mission field. When 

Jim Elliot’s parents looked at his diary, they saw that their 

son had written these words, ‘‘He is no fool who gives what 

he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.’’ 

PAUL GILLMOR gave us his intellect, his honesty, and his 

dedication. All that cannot be kept beyond this earthly life. 

And in so doing, he gained what he will never lose; our admiration, our respect, and our honor. 

OHIO SENATE PRESIDENT BILL HARRIS. First, let me 

thank Congressman GILLMOR’s family for allowing all of us 

to join with you in celebrating the life and the work of truly 

a great man who gave so much to the great State of Ohio. 

We all know the sacrifices that families make when their 

loved ones choose the path of public service. Linda, Julie, 

Paul Michael, Connor, and Adam, for four decades of a distinguished career, through campaigns, sessions, town hall forums, late meetings and many nights away from home, you 

shared your dad and our friend with us. And Karen, we all 

know how well you supported PAUL in his career. And we 

also know how well PAUL supported you in your career in the 

Ohio Senate. 

I hope in this difficult time we can find some comfort in 

the fact that Ohio is a better place because of PAUL

GILLMOR’s life and his commitment to service. As current 

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[ 50 ] 

president of the Ohio Senate, I am very proud but also very 

humbled to follow in PAUL GILLMOR’s steps. 

The year was 1967 when a 27-year-old lawyer from Old 

Fort began his career in public service in the Ohio Senate. 

PAUL served during a critical time in the Ohio General Assembly’s history, helping to shape in what is today, both 

from an organizational and political standpoint, the outstanding organization that it is. 

If you’ll remember, 1967 was also the year that the voters 

of Ohio passed the constitutional amendment that established the house and the senate as we know it today—99 

house members and 33 senators. PAUL began his career in 

the majority. But during the 22-year tenure as control of the 

chamber changed 4 times, he certainly had an opportunity to 

get the majority perspective and the minority perspective. 

Whether it was this perspective or just the general good nature of this man, and all of us that know him know no one 

could do anything except like and love him, PAUL GILLMOR

showed a great willingness to work on both sides of the aisle 

to get things done, regardless of his party’s current standings. 

He worked well with Vern Riffe, as our Governor just mentioned, longtime speaker of the house of representatives. 

Vern Riffe said, ‘‘PAUL GILLMOR is a man of his word.’’ And 

I would add to that amen. The way he developed these relationships and his ability to work with other parties are the 

kinds of experiences that change politicians into statesmen. 

And PAUL GILLMOR was indeed a statesman. 

Approximately halfway through his service in 1978, the 

voters passed another constitutional amendment that established that the Governor and Lieutenant Governor would be 

a combined ticket and at this time the majority leader of the 

senate would become the president of the senate and that’s 

the way it currently remains. 

In 1981, PAUL GILLMOR got his first opportunity to be senate president under the new system. He lost it briefly, along 

with a slim 3-member majority and then won it back in 1984 

and in doing so, he created a legacy that we continue to work 

very hard to preserve even more than a decade later. 

The challenges we face in our State and at the Federal 

level are as difficult as any we face in our State’s history. 

More than ever, we need elected officials like PAUL GILLMOR

who demonstrated leadership, vision, a commitment to service, and the ability to reach out across the aisle for the good 

of this great State. 

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Though in his death we suffer the loss of a great leader 

for Ohio, we are exceedingly grateful and thankful to have 

PAUL GILLMOR’s example to follow. 

Thank you and God bless you. 

OHIO HOUSE SPEAKER JON HUSTED. To Karen Gillmor 

and the family of Congressman PAUL GILLMOR, on behalf of 

the Ohio House of Representatives, I would like to convey 

our deepest sympathies. You have lost a husband and a father, we have lost a friend, and Ohio has lost one of its most 

dedicated public servants. You are and will remain in our 

thoughts and prayers. 

To all who join us today, thank you for your presence here 

to pay honor and respect to a friend, a colleague, and a fellow public servant. It is a truly fitting tribute in this room, 

filled with those who were touched by PAUL’s life and those 

who are here today to honor PAUL’s service. It is in times of 

sadness and celebration that families come together. Today, 

as an extended family, we come together for both purposes; 

to grieve the loss of PAUL GILLMOR and to celebrate his life. 

While here in the legislature, PAUL worked with his colleagues on both sides of the aisle. He embodied the spirit of 

bipartisanship. He knew that regardless of political party, 

that in times of need, we should come together to get the job 

done. 

PAUL believed that we are all one family in service to the 

people we represent. PAUL had a relationship with his legislative family for more than 40 years. And he had an even 

longer relationship with his constituents, many of whom he 

cared for like an extended family back home. 

I grew up in PAUL’s district and in many ways the people 

there are the heart of Ohio. Whether farmers or factory 

workers, the people that called PAUL their Congressman are 

plain spoken, work hard, and demand honesty. I can attest 

to the fondness he had for his constituents. And in turn, his 

constituents honored him with their trust, confidence, and 

respect. You could even say that many considered him part 

of their families, for to many he was the only Member of 

Congress they had ever known. In fact, he began representing the senate district the year I was born. 

For those public officials here today, we often consider 

election day our day of judgment. But PAUL GILLMOR knew 

better. PAUL understood the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson, 

who said that no man has learned anything until he knows 

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that everyday is the judgment day. And PAUL gave each day 

to serving others. 

From the flags he flew over the statehouse for those in his 

district, to the school groups, the boy scouts, the honor students, the sports teams, everybody from back home that he 

honored during his service here, PAUL wanted to share his 

respect for this institution with all whom he encountered. If 

you had a problem and he could help, he would, and then 

some. PAUL understood that the little things could be big 

things to someone in need. 

Gathered here today throughout this room are his family, 

his nearest and dearest, his colleagues and his constituents. 

We are all blessed to have had him in our lives. His absence 

leaves an emptiness that those closest to him hope to fill 

with fond memories and I hope we provide you a few today. 

And may we honor his memory in this statehouse by pulling together during the tough times just as PAUL GILLMOR

did when he served here. 

To the Gillmor family, thank you for sharing PAUL with 

us. He will be greatly missed. And may God bless you all. 

OHIO SUPREME COURT CHIEF JUSTICE THOMAS J. 

MOYER. Karen, Linda, Julie, Paul Michael, Connor, Adam, 

members of Paul Gillmor’s family, Governor and Mrs. Strickland, Mr. President, Mr. Speaker, members of the general 

assembly, leaders of the general assembly past and present, 

Members of Congress, thank you. So many of you have come 

to pay your respects to PAUL GILLMOR. Participants of this 

wonderful ceremony in honor of PAUL GILLMOR, public officials, friends, and colleagues of PAUL, first on behalf of the 

third branch, all of whom are here representing the Supreme 

Court, we extend our deepest sympathies to you and to your 

family, Karen. 

Each of us come to this ceremony with our own personal 

memories of PAUL GILLMOR. I knew him as a friend but I 

knew him best as citizen legislator. And I respected him 

greatly. At times such as this we realize that in acknowledging a person’s legacy, it does not matter how many years 

we were here in this life but rather what we have done with 

the time God has given us. PAUL used his time to set a wonderful example for those who would serve in public office. 

Public opinion polls and surveys tell us that Americans, regardless of political party, want their elected officeholders to 

be honest, to be decent, to be civil, and to work with those 

with whom they disagree in order to constructively address 

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the issues before them. But PAUL GILLMOR did not need a 

public opinion poll to tell him that, that’s just the way he 

was. 

He knew that a difference of opinion is not a difference of 

character, that it is more important to keep a promise than 

to make a promise, and that service to the common good produces more than service to oneself. So PAUL we thank you. 

I have to say this to PAUL, in death you have done something that none of us have done in life and that’s to cause 

Tom Suddes to dress up and wear a tie. 

But we thank you PAUL for always being one person. For 

reminding us that persons of the highest character are attracted to public office. And we thank you for creating a legacy that says in a democracy there are no positions of public 

trust more important than citizen legislator. 

PAUL we will miss you, and the Americans who respond to 

those opinion polls will miss you too. 

FORMER OHIO SENATE PRESIDENT STANLEY J. 

ARONOFF. Karen and Gillmor family—thank you so much 

for the honor of letting a non-elected official, currently elected official, speak a few words. 

I can think of no one who was more comfortable in his skin 

than PAUL GILLMOR. 

I met him at our swear-in. We were both freshmen senators. But I had 6 years on him in the Ohio House. I tried 

to claim that seniority our entire life but he never let me. 

PAUL was the same person in 1967 that he was when I 

last saw him in Washington this year. Unpretentious, modest, genuine, frank, quietly funny, reliable, unassuming but 

tough, disarming, and I could go on, and on, and on, and 

every person in this room would have something like that to 

say about PAUL. They’d all be favorable. And they’d all be 

true. They just begin to describe the kind of person PAUL

was. He was the kind of friend that everyone would like to 

have. 

We came to the senate in the majority, spent a lot of years 

in the minority, and then in the early 1980s returned to the 

majority. PAUL was instrumental in our return to ‘‘power’’ 

and he was unanimously elected our senate president. And 

he stayed there as senate president, except for 2 years I’d 

like to forget. 

He was elected to Congress in 1988, winning by a landslide in the primary of 27 votes, and those 27 votes were the 

reason I became senate president. PAUL had promised to 

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turn over the gavel to me and for that I am forever grateful. 

By the way, for the Congressmen here, it’s my refusal to let 

go of that gavel that David Hobson decided to run for Congress. 

Few politicians like serving in the minority as well as the 

majority. That’s a truism and PAUL was no different. But he 

never let ambition change the qualities that I just mentioned. However much we wanted to win, PAUL was always 

the same. And he selected a good strong team. Jim Tilling, 

Curt Steiner, Neil Clark. All rather successful in their own 

rights right now. And they helped elevate, what we called 

ourselves ‘‘the dirty dozen,’’ into the majority. 

And from what I know, PAUL didn’t change when he came 

to Congress. He loved the job. But he didn’t catch Potomac 

Fever. He still was the same easygoing, responsible, charming guy who really enjoyed what he was doing. And I’m sure 

that Minority Leader John Boehner will amplify on that. 

That all of these Congresspersons are here today is testimony to the respect that PAUL had in Congress and the kind 

of person and friend he was in the U.S. House of Representatives. That the Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board 

would also recognize his impressive Ohio career and have 

him memorialized in our statehouse is deeply appreciated by 

everyone in this room and especially, I am sure, by Karen 

and her family. 

On behalf of all of you that are attending today may I 

thank Governor Strickland and all the members of the Capitol Square Review and Advisory Board, especially Senator 

Finan, Bill Carleton, Senator Zimmers. PAUL deserves this 

honor because of the human being that he was and the example that he set. I wish I could name everyone and if I forget I apologize but while I’m here I know of certain people— 

Governor Taft, former speaker Davidson, former senate 

president Harry Meshel, and I hope that Congresspersons 

now and before that are here will be taken care of by other 

people. 

To Karen and the family and everyone in the audience, 

PAUL, we all will greatly miss you. 

SENATOR GEORGE V. VOINOVICH. Karen, Linda, Julie, 

Paul Michael, Adam and Connor: My wife Janet and I are 

honored to join your friends in expressing our sympathy to 

you and our admiration and respect for PAUL and to thank 

you for your sacrifice over the years so that PAUL could serve 

his district, his State, and his country. 

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The last time I saw PAUL I asked how he and the family 

were doing. He was upbeat in spite of all that was on his 

plate as a Member of the House. He was taking things in 

stride and was getting the job done—no muss, no fuss. 

The same PAUL GILLMOR I met in 1967 when we began our 

careers together—PAUL as a State senator and I as a member of the Ohio House. PAUL was immensely successful and 

well respected. Because he treated others with dignity and 

respect and he always practiced the Second Great Commandment: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. 

Except perhaps when he was trying to get Republican control of the Ohio Senate. 

His excellent interpersonal skills and the high regard with 

which he was held by his colleagues got him unanimously 

elected to the role of Republican leader five times in the Ohio 

Senate. No one was surprised when he was elected president 

of the senate three terms. 

During his tenure as president of the senate—at a time 

when most statewide elected offices were held by Democrats—PAUL was arguably the most powerful Republican official in the State of Ohio. Still, he was able to put partisan 

politics aside and work together with Governor Celeste for 

the best interests of the State, although many of us thought 

he was our best candidate in 1986 against Celeste. I always 

thought he waited too long before he entered the primary. 

And, in spite of being in leadership and having many demands on his schedule, he always had time for me during 

my years as mayor of Cleveland and always listened to what 

I had to say. He was immensely helpful to me in my efforts 

to bring the city of Cleveland out of default and back on its 

feet. 

When I was Governor, PAUL, who had moved on to Congress, was a pivotal ally on the issue of sensible clean air 

standards and the importance of protecting public health 

and the environment while balancing the impact on jobs and 

the economy. As a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, he joined in our fight against EPA for sensible standards and was able to galvanize a delegation to 

work on Ohio’s behalf. He was also a great leader in helping 

to pass the unfunded mandates relief legislation. 

When I came to the Senate I knew I had a real friend in 

PAUL GILLMOR. My only regret is that I did not have more 

time to spend with him. 

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siasm and ability always made you want to be on his team. 

In fact, some of the most talented staff members I had during my Governor days cut their teeth under PAUL during 

their work for the Republican State Senate Caucus. He left 

an indelible mark on the people he worked with, which is a 

part of his wonderful, lasting legacy. 

On a personal note—after PAUL lost his first wife, Janet 

and I were quite pleased when the rumor that PAUL had 

taken a fancy to then-Karen Lako, and she to him. We 

thought the world of both of them and were so happy that 

they got married and started another chapter in PAUL’s life 

and that God blessed them with children—Paul Michael, 

Adam and Connor to join his two daughters from his first 

marriage. 

Children—I hope you take comfort in the fact that your 

dad was one of the most conscientious public servants I’ve 

ever met. He was a role model for me and for all who serve 

in public office. I count myself as blessed to have had the opportunity to work with him for over 40 years. 

Through his leadership in the Ohio State Senate and the 

U.S. Congress, he made a difference for the people of Ohio, 

this Nation, and the world. It is said that it is not the number of years that one lives but what one does with those 

years that really matters. And PAUL really made the years 

matter. 

My faith tells me that PAUL is in Heaven and was welcomed with the words from Matthew 25:21: ‘‘Well done, thou 

good and faithful servant.’’ Take comfort in the knowledge 

that PAUL is eternally happy with our Father in Heaven. 

REPUBLICAN LEADER JOHN BOEHNER. Karen and family, Governor Strickland, Mrs. Strickland, members of the 

Ohio House and Ohio Senate, my colleagues, friends, and 

former staff of PAUL GILLMOR. On behalf of all of my colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives, we offer our 

sincere condolences to Karen and the family and to all of you 

who are here today. 

PAUL was a trusted colleague of mine for almost 25 years. 

I came here in 1984 and PAUL had just become president of 

the senate once again. But I was a lowly house member, he 

was a big senator. And you’ve heard all about the personal 

qualities of PAUL GILLMOR but I want to tell you this story 

because I think it really is the essence of who he was. 

I didn’t walk across the statehouse to meet PAUL GILLMOR. 

I didn’t walk through this door, which I used to walk 

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through every day on the way to vote, and that pigeon that’s 

up there was alive at the time. I met PAUL GILLMOR at the 

Pewter Mug. Now many of you here know about the Pewter 

Mug, a little restaurant up the street that I and some of my 

colleagues used to go to and some of our friends. And not 

only did I get to meet PAUL GILLMOR at the Pewter Mug but 

we used to have lunch about once a week or run into each 

other once a week and PAUL GILLMOR became my friend. 

And in 1986 when PAUL GILLMOR decided to run for Governor, I was there and wrote the first check to him, did everything I could. And got to know Karen very well through 

that process. 

PAUL GILLMOR was a decent, honest, human being who 

was trying to do his best for the institutions in which he 

served and for his constituents. And you know for all of us, 

PAUL, the GREAT GILLMO as some of us would call him, especially Mike Oxley, who would never give PAUL a moment’s 

rest, but PAUL GILLMOR was a great legislator. Never sought 

the spotlight. Never really wanted to get a lot of attention. 

But he was a very effective legislator because he was willing 

to work with Members on both sides of the aisle and he was 

willing to do what was right for the interest of his constituents and for our country. 

But really what made the GREAT GILLMO the GREAT

GILLMO is that he was a nice guy. A nice guy with a purpose 

in life. And so as I stand here today, I want to remember 

PAUL GILLMOR for what a great guy that he was to all of us, 

what an effective legislator he was. PAUL may be missed but 

PAUL will not be forgotten. 

CONGRESSMAN RALPH REGULA. PAUL’s family and admirers—you’re here because you realized and recognized in 

PAUL what a wonderful human being he was, how much he 

cared for his family and for the State of Ohio. 

PAUL was a modest individual as all of you know. I 

thought this morning when I went out to Andrews Air Force 

Base and I saw those four big beautiful airplanes that said 

United States of America waiting to take some 55-plus Members of the House plus a lot of staff here to Columbus, PAUL

would have said, ‘‘for me?’’ He would have found that almost 

incomprehensible. But they were there because of PAUL and 

how he lifted each one of us up. As we got to know him as 

a colleague, as a friend, he really truly did lift us up. 

One of our colleagues said that we legislators love our seniority and we love our committees. And PAUL gave up his 

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seniority for a Member with lesser seniority because he 

wanted to give that individual a break. That takes a big individual, a big man to do that. And that’s the kind of person 

PAUL was. 

By fate of time, I am the senior Member from Ohio. And 

that’s why last week many Members came up to me to say, 

‘‘he was a good man.’’ What better tribute, what better legacy can you leave than to have your colleagues that you 

work with say ‘‘he was a good man’’ or ‘‘we loved PAUL’’ or 

‘‘we found him somebody that we could work with so well’’? 

So PAUL did leave a wonderful legacy, a wonderful legacy 

of his family, of his colleagues, who cared about him. That 

is something that all of us should desire and PAUL achieved 

that. What a wonderful man he was to all of us and we’re 

here today because we want to pay tribute to that individual. 

CONGRESSWOMAN MARCY KAPTUR. Dear friends, dearest Karen, precious children: Paul Michael, Connor, Adam, 

Linda and Julie; grandchildren: Brenda, Lucy and Natalie; 

sister: Diane; relatives of the Gillmor family; Governor 

Strickland; dear friends, and colleagues: 

We come here today to honor the life and service of Congressman PAUL E. GILLMOR to his State and Nation. 

On behalf of Speaker Nancy Pelosi, all Members of the 

House of Representatives, and particularly PAUL’s colleagues 

in the Ohio delegation, we offer our deepest condolences. I 

represent the district that hugged PAUL’s from the north, the 

Ninth. We thank you for the sacrifices you have made, you 

all have made, so your loved one could serve the people of 

Ohio and the United States. PAUL passed from this life serving our country as he prepared to report for duty to fulfill 

the solemn oath that he had taken to defend our Constitution’s timeless values. 

PAUL GILLMOR was an honorable man, a family man, a 

veteran, and a public servant of high repute who never lost 

touch with the common person. The small town values that 

made your husband and father successful were the same as 

his own father’s. They were second nature to PAUL. He never 

forgot who he was and where he came from—and that is why 

he held elected office continuously for more than 40 years. 

His persevering spirit will endure. 

Even at a time when our House has been wracked by partisanship of historic proportions, PAUL was a model of bipartisan cooperation. He simply refused to judge colleagues 

based on their political affiliation or ideological persuasion. 

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Old Fort, Ohio, is not the type of place where one learns the 

ways of guerrilla warfare, and PAUL refused to engage in the 

personal destruction of colleagues. 

I was going to say that he was ‘‘true blue,’’ but in today’s 

political climate, that is not politically correct. So I can say 

that he was a favorite son of this great Buckeye State. His 

cooperative spirit held true in Washington. I was honored to 

work together with PAUL on several issues of importance to 

Northern Ohio—making U.S. Route 24 safer, saving the 

180th Tactical Fighter Wing, protecting the National Civilian 

Marksmanship Program at Camp Perry, and, just a week 

ago, helping the flood victims throughout Northern Ohio. 

Karen and I remember well an earlier trip to Mexico, prior 

to NAFTA’s passage (where PAUL and I simply didn’t agree). 

But I was given a gift last week, because I have a last precious memory. As we flew, PAUL and I, together, in a 

Blackhawk helicopter, doors open wide on both sides, 

strapped in there, and both of us extra-knotted our seat 

belts. We flew from Findlay to Bucyrus and then back again 

and I, being shorter than he, as we disembarked from the 

helicopter, he held out his hand, and I thought, ‘‘What a gentleman, what a gentleman!’’ 

I can remember his kindness and Karen’s kindness to our 

family on our mother’s passing. I thank you. 

His work remains unfinished. As ranking member of the 

Financial Services Committee, Subcommittee on Financial 

Institutions and Consumer Credit, PAUL was warmly regarded by Chairman Barney Frank. They were working together to address the challenges of the credit crisis when 

PAUL left us. He was working on that issue as he had 

worked on important brownfields legislation, where he was 

very successful a few years before. 

We as human beings find it so very, very hard to accept 

the limits of time on Earth. We seek more of it, surely with 

those we love. We try to capture time. We attempt to order 

it precisely in minutes, in years, on clocks, on sundials, on 

Blackberries. Even votes in Congress are timed. On many occasions PAUL GILLMOR assumed the Speaker’s rostrum in the 

U.S. Congress and gaveled the final vote tally as the clock 

ran out. He enjoyed that duty! 

But try as we may to order time, what endures is not time 

but treasured moments and timeless values around which 

we wrap our lives. PAUL’s family and all his children know 

these moments and values: your moments together on Lake 

Erie or in Port Clinton or in Tiffin or in Columbus or in 

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Washington or in Old Fort; your moments sitting on his lap 

as he smiled over his glasses, and occasionally wrinkled his 

nose to push them up; your moments telling him your 

dreams and asking his advice; your moments showing you 

loved him, as he loved you. These priceless gifts are yours, 

always. 

Your father’s work was demanding and tiring. As a man 

of means he could have led only a personal life. He chose 

otherwise: he was a patriot. 

The knowledge that PAUL brought to his job will not be 

easily replaced. The half-century-long record of service to his 

community, the Fifth Congressional District, our State, and 

our Nation—service rendered in the Armed Forces, the State 

legislature, and the U.S. Congress—will not soon be surpassed. 

There were two tasks he didn’t complete, as far as I know. 

The first was, despite all the political power that stood before you today, he was never able to get Port Clinton placed 

in the Fifth Congressional District, because in order to do it, 

you would have to go through the lake. 

And Karen would be happy to know that, yes, he did keep 

cigars in his center drawer, which he would pull out at the 

most political of moments, but he never lit them. He kept his 

promise. 

PAUL GILLMOR was an officer and a gentleman. He was 

loving, persevering, humble, generous and patriotic, and he 

was a true public servant. 

It is with deep respect that we honor him today, and I’m 

going to ask my colleagues—in a way his brothers—Minority 

Leader John Boehner, and dean of the Ohio House Republican delegation, House Member Ralph Regula, seniority 

number six in the U.S. House, to join me in presenting to the 

Gillmor family the main U.S. flag that was hoisted at half 

staff over the East Front of the Capitol at the request of 

Speaker Nancy Pelosi on the day of Congressman GILLMOR’s 

passing on September 5, this year, 2007, and is pictured on 

the back of your program. 

CONGRESSMAN JOHN TANNER. To Karen and the family, to PAUL’s staff and to all of you here today: 

I want to say Honorable PAUL—some of you in Congress, 

he probably said to you Honorable Ralph, Honorable George. 

I say that because about 10 years ago, Betty Ann and I got 

to know PAUL and Karen Gillmor even though we weren’t in 

the same party nor on any committees together. 

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We came together in the NATO Parliamentary Assembly 

and we became the closest of friends, and he was my teammate on NATO. Through the years, I guess we traveled probably 30, 40, 50 times to Europe and other places where the 

NATO Parliamentary Assembly had its meetings. And not 

only do I want to thank the State of Ohio, Governor Strickland, and all of the people who are here from Ohio, I know 

that Karen and the family will always remember the love 

and respect that was indicated here by virtually everybody 

in the State of Ohio. And to be that loved and respected in 

one’s home State says more than I ever could. 

But I want to talk just a very brief minute about one of 

the most decent people that I ever had the privilege to know. 

He was an extraordinary human being in the way he went 

about his tasks and how he brought people together and 

made them feel comfortable with themselves when he was 

there. I watched him through many, many committee meetings in NATO that last forever because the Republicans—I 

mean, not the Republicans, some of them, some of the Democrats too—but the Europeans in particular are in love with 

the sounds of their own voice. And PAUL would pride himself 

as chairman of the Economics and Security Committee on 

trying to get through before any of the other committees did, 

and he succeeded. And I have tried to follow in his footsteps. 

He was currently serving as the North American vice 

president for NATO, and I want to read a letter that I received as the chairman of the delegation, just last week from 

the President, because I think you need to know just how 

much respect PAUL had among our European allies in 

NATO. 

‘‘Dear John,’’ he goes on to say, ‘‘I was deeply saddened 

and,’’ he said, ‘‘PAUL GILLMOR was simply a wonderful man, 

and was very much appreciated by all of us on this side of 

the Atlantic. He was a bridge builder, one of those people 

upon whom we could really rely to create a friendly and cooperative spirit within the Assembly even during those moments when the Transatlantic relationship was proving 

somewhat difficult to manage politically and diplomatically.’’ 

All of you know the value of our allies in this perilous 

time. PAUL GILLMOR did more than any other individual in 

Congress, in my view, to further the interest of the United 

States as it relates to our time and our relationship with our 

European allies. 

Karen and Betty Ann have become close. It is something 

that one will never get over, but it will give great comfort to 

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the family to know that, not only in Ohio, but in this country 

and around the world, your dad was a good man and well 

respected. 

Mrs. A.J. Stanley wrote a poem some years ago that I 

think sums up PAUL to me in a way and in words better 

than I can do when she wrote; 

That person is a success who has lived well, laughed often and loved 

much, 

Who has gained the respect of intelligent people and the love of tiny children, 

Who has found his niche and accomplished his task, 

Who left the world a little better than when he found it, 

Whether by a perfect poem or a rescued soul, 

Who never lacked appreciation for the beauty of the earth, nor failed to 

express it, 

Who looked for the best in others and gave the best he had. 

PAUL GILLMOR did that. 

OP-ED COLUMNIST TOM SUDDES. When PAUL GILLMOR

left this statehouse for Washington in 1989, Capitol Square 

lost one of its most sincere and spontaneous smiles. 

Now Representative GILLMOR’s smile has left our lives. If 

we in Columbus were poorer 18 years ago, we are impoverished now. Yet, as this service shows today, Ohioans are 

richer for having known Representative GILLMOR. That’s because the measure of a public person is not just elections 

won and bills passed. We also measure a life by its interplay 

with the lives of others. 

One of architect Christopher Wren’s great works, St. 

Paul’s Cathedral in London, bears this inscription as an epitaph to the architect: ‘‘Reader, if you seek his monument, 

look around you.’’ Likewise today, if you seek PAUL

GILLMOR’s monument, look around you—not to any building, 

but to one another. 

Look to Representative GILLMOR’s devoted and ever-loyal 

wife, Karen; his beautiful daughters; his handsome sons; his 

beloved grandchildren. If you seek Mr. GILLMOR’s monument, 

look to his family. 

Look also to the Senate staff, current and former, many 

lobbyists and reporters here today. Their work exposes them 

to the political ego in all its sometimes florid dimensions. 

Few of these men and women can have known ever, in Columbus or Washington, an officeholder less pretentious than 

PAUL GILLMOR. If you seek PAUL GILLMOR’s monument, 

trawl through the recollections of those who knew him up 

close. What Ohio saw was what Ohio got. 

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Yes, the past can look better than it deserves sometimes. 

Nostalgia is the fog on history’s lens. Today’s general assembly and its constructive leaders of both parties face different 

and even more difficult tasks than those that arose during 

the 22 years in which PAUL GILLMOR was a member of the 

Ohio Senate. 

But with Mr. GILLMOR, as senate president, in harness 

with another Appalachian Democrat, a house speaker named 

Vernal G. Riffe, Ohio’s legislative process worked—worked, 

as in, everybody at the table—everybody. Worked, as in yes, 

train’s on time and—until recently, this would be a Guinness 

book item in Ohio—cross-party, cross-aisle roll-calls. President GILLMOR and Speaker Riffe were equals and friends. 

Yes, as Democrats and Republicans, they disagreed on 

some fundamentals—taxation, collective bargaining—but together with legislators and gifted and selfless legislative 

aides of both parties, they gave Ohio a period of truly constructive government. If you are looking for his monument, 

look to the Journal of the General Assembly or the Congressional Record. 

In truth, it’s the legislator who serves, rather than shouts, 

who bolsters representative democracy. With all due respect 

to the extremely able and highly conscientious mourners 

here today, and I think Mr. Boehner and President Harris 

and Speaker Husted might privately agree, the general assembly might be better off with a few dozen PAUL

GILLMORs—as might the Congress, with several hundred. A 

real public servant is he or she who takes care of business 

while some colleagues produce their sound and light shows. 

Besides PAUL GILLMOR’s smile, which none who saw it can 

forget, PAUL GILLMOR was a listener, and in my view, listeners are an endangered species in Columbus and Washington. ‘‘Just hear me out’’ is the most frequent—and most 

ignored plea in American public life. Yet for that gift, no one 

ever had to ask PAUL GILLMOR twice. Whether he ended up 

voting your way, or the other guy’s way, Mr. GILLMOR treated the mighty and meek alike: With patience and with respect. If you seek his monument, think of those words. 

KAREN L. GILLMOR. First of all I want to thank all of you 

for coming today and most especially to Governor Strickland 

and his staff and dear Jan Allen for making this day so 

seamless for our family. 

Many of you have had special friendships with PAUL and 

you hold special memories in your heart as we do in his famVerDate jan 13 2004 11:05 May 28, 2008 Jkt 037600 PO 00000 Frm 00071 Fmt 6688 Sfmt 6688 C:\DOCS\GILLMOR\37600.TXT CRS1 PsN: SKAYNE
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ily. PAUL loved his family, his home, his community, his 

State, and his country. And even though it was hard for the 

boys and me to let him go to Washington every week, we 

knew that he was the very best person the Fifth Congressional District and indeed the heart of Ohio ever had because 

he went for the right reasons, not for self-gain and not for 

self-aggrandizement, but to help others in the purest sense 

of public service. 

The people of northwest Ohio must have agreed because 

they have reelected him time and again. The boys and I will 

keep that GILLMOR legacy alive because it’s so important in 

our family and I myself come from four generations of public 

service in Ohio. We want to have public service and charitable giving be the watchwords of the Gillmor family. 

One of PAUL’s close friends said to me the other day that 

PAUL GILLMOR lived life large. And I think that’s true. He 

was so much fun to be with and he really had a true generosity of spirit. He taught our boys by example three important virtues: earn your own way, work hard, also pay back 

what you have received because, as the Scriptures tell us, 

from those to whom much is given, much is expected. 

I think the true secret to PAUL’s success was that he did 

not judge others. He might have judged ideas, but not people. He liked everybody. 

PAUL and I were fortunate to travel extensively so I 

thought this week about the book ‘‘1,000 Places to See Before 

You Die.’’ And I thought its author Patricia Schultz had it 

all wrong. 

Because you haven’t lived until you’ve visited Venice with 

George and Janet Voinovich. You haven’t lived until you’ve 

attended the flower festival in Vienna with John F. Wolfe, Jo 

Ann Davidson, and John and Annie Glenn. You haven’t lived 

until you have prayed on Friday night at the Wailing Wall 

with Stanley Aronoff. You haven’t lived until you have sat in 

the war room with Jim Tilling, Curt Steiner, Neil Clark, 

Mark Wellman, Paul Wilson, Jenny Worner Carlson, Fred 

Eames, Mark Isakowitz, Barb Barker and Tim Brown plotting campaigns. And I remember years ago sailing Boston 

Harbor with Keith Brooks before he went home to ask the 

beautiful Julie to be his wife. Also, you have not lived until 

you have partied at Put-in-Bay with Bill Newcomb, Terry 

Fleming, Tom Green, Dutch Schultz, Mike Dowling and Tom 

Winters. I can’t even tell you those stories. 

But I will tell you one last story and that is how I met 

PAUL GILLMOR. Because there are people in this room who 

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[ 65 ] 

were present. I started working after I received my doctorate 

at Huntington Bank as a vice president. And the president 

of the Ohio Bankers Association, Bill Morgan, thought I 

should meet the Senate president. So he set up a lunch. And 

I didn’t catch on that it happened to be on February 14. 

PAUL brought some of his staff, Jim Tilling especially, to 

lunch. And they were going to tell me about the issues and 

the coming campaign. Subsequent to that, the then-president 

of the Ohio Chamber of Commerce and Governor Rhodes 

said to PAUL, ‘‘Now there’s a nice girl, you ought to get next 

to her’’ and he said ‘‘Governor, I just think I will.’’ And 

Speaker Vern Riffe takes so much credit for our marriage 

that when we had our first child, Paul Michael, he sent me 

two little sneakers with a card that said ‘‘because his parents 

are running.’’ Vern likes to tell everybody that he was truly 

responsible in a bipartisan manner for us getting together. 

But I think Patricia Schultz is wrong about the 1,000 

places you should see before you die. Because it isn’t where 

you go in life. It isn’t what you do in life. But it’s who you 

travel with. And I was privileged to spend a great portion of 

my life traveling with PAUL GILLMOR. 

SENATOR RANDY GARDNER. It would seem impossible to 

summarize the life of PAUL GILLMOR but I am going to try. 

Ohio is a better State because of Senator PAUL GILLMOR. 

America is a better nation because of Congressman PAUL

GILLMOR. We are better people because we knew PAUL

GILLMOR. Because PAUL GILLMOR graced this Earth. 

REVEREND JIM LILLIBRIDGE. At this time I would like 

to invite Paul Michael Gillmor, eldest son of the Honorable 

PAUL GILLMOR, to come and stand with me if he would. 

Before Paul Michael closes us with the benediction, I’d like 

to share with you a story called the ‘‘Keeper of the Spring.’’ 

The story is told of a quiet forest dweller who lived high 

above an Austrian village on the eastern slopes of the Alps. 

The old gentleman had been hired many years ago by a 

young town council to clear away the debris from the pools 

of water up in the mountain crevasses that fed the lovely 

spring flowing through their town. With faithful, silent regularity he patrolled the hills, removed the leaves and 

branches and wiped away the silt that would otherwise 

choke and contaminate the fresh flow of water. 

By and by the village became a popular attraction for vacationers. Graceful swans floated along the crystal-clear 

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[ 66 ] 

spring. The mill wheels of various businesses located near 

the water turned day and night. Farmlands were naturally 

irrigated. And the view from restaurants was picturesque beyond description. 

Years passed, the town council met for its semiannual 

meeting. As they reviewed the budget one man’s eye caught 

the salary figure being paid the obscure keeper of the spring. 

Said the keeper of the purse, ‘‘Who is this old man? Why do 

we keep him on year after year? No one ever sees him. For 

all we know the strange ranger of the hills is doing us absolutely no good. He isn’t necessary any longer.’’ By a unanimous vote, they dispensed with the gentleman’s services. 

For several weeks nothing changed. By early autumn the 

trees began to shed their leaves. Small branches snapped off 

and fell into the pools hindering the rushing flow of sparkling water. One afternoon someone noticed a slight yellowish brown tint in the spring. A couple days later, the 

water was much darker. Within another week a slimy film 

covered sections of the water along the banks and a foul odor 

was soon detected. The mill wheels moved slower, some 

ground to a halt. Swans left as did the tourists. Clammy fingers of disease and sickness reached deep into the village. 

Quickly the embarrassed council called a special meeting. 

Realizing their gross error in judgment, they hired back the 

old keeper of the spring. Within a few weeks the veritable 

river of life began to clear up. The wheels started to turn 

once again and new life returned to the hamlet in the Alps. 

What the keeper of the springs meant to the village, Godfearing, faithful servants mean to our world. 

PAUL E. GILLMOR was a keeper of the spring. The world 

is a better place because he was in it. Therefore let us go 

forth here in the spirit and memory of PAUL GILLMOR and 

with the hand of God upon us to be keepers of the spring to 

our community and world. 

PAUL MICHAEL GILLMOR. Please pray with me. 

May the road rise to meet you. 

May the wind blow at your back. 

May the sun shine warmly upon your face. 

May the rain fall soft on your fields. 

And until we meet again, 

Until we meet again, 

May God hold you in the palm of His hand. 

Amen. 

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[ 67 ] 

The Honorable 

Paul E. Gillmor 

Date of Birth Date of Death 

February 1, 1939 September 5, 2007 


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[ 68 ] 

Paul E. Gillmor: A Record of Service 

Captain, United States Air Force 

1965–1966 

Member of the Ohio Senate 

1967–1988 

Republican Leader, Ohio Senate 

1978–1988 

President, Ohio Senate 

1981–1982, 1985–1988 

Recognized as one of the Ten Most Outstanding 

Legislators in the United States by the National Republican 

Legislators Assoc. 

1983 

Member of the U.S. House of Representatives 

1989–2007 

Ranking Republican Member 

Committee on House Administration 

Subcommittee on Accounts 

1989–1991 

Deputy Republican Whip 

1995–2007 

Chairman 

Committee on Energy & Commerce Subcommittee on 

Environment & Hazardous Materials 

2001–2007 

Chairman 

NATO Parliamentary Assembly Committee on 

Economics and Security 

2002–2006 

Vice President, North America 

NATO Parliamentary Assembly 

2006–2007 

Ranking Republican Member 

Committee on Financial Services Subcommittee on 

Financial Institutions & Consumer Credit 

2007 

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[ 69 ] 

Paul E. Gillmor Memorial Service 

Tiffin 

Wednesday, September 12, 2007 

Welcome 

Master of Ceremonies 

Mike Kerschner 

President & Chief Executive Officer 

Gillmor Financial Services 

Invocation 

The Reverend Jim Lillibridge 

Pastor, Indian Run United Methodist Church 

Remarks 

Congressman David Hobson, 7th District of Ohio 

Commissioner Tim W. Brown 

Wood County 

Dr. F. Dominic Dottavio 

President, Heidelberg College 

Dr. George Kidd 

President Emeritus, Tiffin University 

Adam Greenslade 

Sandusky County Republican Chairman 

Don Witter 

Cousin 

Dr. James Tilling 

Former Chief Executive Officer, Ohio Senate 

Gary Koch 

Longtime friend 

Ralph ‘‘Spive’’ Gillmor 

Uncle 

Thank You 

Karen L. Gillmor, PhD 

Benediction 

The Reverend Jim Lillibridge 

Pastor, Indian Run United Methodist Church 

Interment immediately following at: 

Pleasant Union Cemetery 

Old Fort 

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[ 70 ] 

In Memory of 

The Honorable Paul E. Gillmor 

Final Resting Place 

Pleasant Union Cemetery 

Old Fort, Ohio 

If it is encouraging, let him encourage; 

if it is contributing to the needs of others, 

let him give generously; 

if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; 

if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully. 

—Romans 12:8 

Æ 


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