S5866 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE August 1, 2012 

through the ranks and in 1957 became 

the fifth commandant of the WAC, a 

position she occupied for 6 years, first 

appointed by President Eisenhower and 

reappointed by President Kennedy. 

Mary Louise led the way for women in 

the military. Mrs. Rasmuson’s oral history of the WAC unit, World War II and 

the Korean War is among those recorded by The Library of Congress for 

The Veterans History Project. 

In 1942, as the United States entered 

World War II, Mrs. Rasmuson left her 

job as an assistant principal in a school 

district near Pittsburgh and became a 

member of the first class of the new 

WAC. 

As director of the WAC unit, military 

historians credit her with major 

achievements including increasing the 

WAC’s strength, insisting on effectiveness in command, working with Congress to amend laws that deprived 

women of service credit and benefits, 

and expanding the range of military 

opportunities open to women. 

Mrs. Rasmuson retired in 1962 after 20 

years of military service, during which 

she received a Legion of Merit award 

with two oak leaf clusters for her work 

integrating Black women into the 

WAC. She was also awarded the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps Service 

Medal, the American Campaign Medal, 

World War II Victory Medal, Occupation Medal and National Defense 

Medal. At an event honoring her, 

former U.S. Secretary of Defense William Perry said, ‘‘When you hear about 

women seizing new opportunities to 

serve, remember that they march behind Colonel Rasmuson.’’ 

Mary Louise’s impact can be felt virtually everywhere in Alaska, whether 

improving the position of families, 

founding a world-class museum, enhancing research in healthcare, and advancing understanding of Alaska Native cultures on a national stage. Her 

contributions have reached every corner of Alaska, from Ketchikan to 

Gambell. 

Mrs. Rasmuson arrived in Alaska in 

1962 after her marriage to Elmer E. 

Rasmuson, chairman of National Bank 

of Alaska. Together, they made a formidable team influential in the public 

and civic agenda in a rapidly developing city and State. She quickly 

adapted to life in Alaska and became 

active in several community groups. 

One of her most visible impacts on 

Alaska came from her service as head 

of the Municipality of Anchorage Historical and Fine Arts Commission and 

later as chair of the Anchorage Museum Foundation. Her vision, passion 

and personal effort led to the creation 

of the Anchorage Museum of Art and 

History in 1968. As Mayor of Anchorage, I was proud to be with Mrs. 

Rasmuson to cut the ribbon on the latest expansion of the museum, now 

named the Anchorage Museum at 

Rasmuson Center, a culminating moment in her decades-long vision to 

build a great museum for all Alaskans. 

In 1967, Mrs. Rasmuson began what 

would become 45 years of service on the 

board of Rasmuson Foundation. She 

maintained an active voice in the affairs of the Foundation and regularly 

attended board meetings until her late 

90s, when she transitioned to an emeritus position. Even in the last years of 

her life, Mrs. Rasmuson received briefings from Foundation staff on projects 

seeking Foundation support. 

Facilities that bear her name include 

the Elmer and Mary Louise Rasmuson 

Theater at the Smithsonian National 

Museum of the American Indian in 

Washington, DC, the Elmer and Mary 

Louise Rasmuson Center for Rheumatic Disease at the Benaroya Research Institute of Virginia Mason Hospital in Seattle, WA, and the Mary 

Louise Rasmuson Pavilion at the Boy 

Scouts of America Camp Gorsuch in 

Chugiak, AK. Mary Louise Rasmuson 

will be missed by all who knew her, but 

her legacy will live forever in the 

hearts and minds of Alaskans.

f 

∑ 

TRIBUTE TO SOFIA GUANA 

∑ Mr. HELLER. Mr. President, I rise 

today in celebration of one of Nevada’s 

own, Sofia Guana, on her 100th birthday. Her dedication to community 

service is commendable, and I am 

proud that she calls Nevada home. 

After Sofia came to Carson City, NV, 

just more than 20 years ago, she dedicated her time to investing in the Silver State. Whether it was through 

working for the University of Nevada’s 

Cooperative Extension or volunteering 

for the local senior citizen’s center, 

Sofia’s commitment to the betterment 

of her State and community is commendable. She serves as an example to 

us all, and I hope that many more will 

follow in her footsteps. 

Sofia’s dedication to the betterment 

of others does not stop with her local 

community of Carson. A devoted mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, she is the lifeblood of her family. 

Mr. President, I am proud to call 

Sofia one of Nevada’s own and wish her 

a very happy 100th birthday. On behalf 

of the State and the residents of Carson City, I thank her for her service 

and wish her all the best.

f 

∑ 

TRIBUTE TO JUDY KROLL 

∑ Mr. THUNE. Mr. President, today I 

would like to take this opportunity to 

honor Judy Kroll of Volga, SD. 

Judy Kroll has spent her career serving the community of Brookings, SD, 

in her capacity as an educator, as well 

as the director of the thriving speech 

and debate program at Brookings High 

School. 

Judy, who retired this summer, 

served as a South Dakota educator for 

37 years, teaching in both Madison and 

Parkston before starting at Brookings 

High School in 1980. During her 32 

years as an educator and debate coach 

in Brookings, she has left an indelible 

impact on her students, dedicating an 

immeasurable amount of time to positively impacting the lives of young 

people. Judy has devoted countless 

hours to advance the critical and analytical skills of those students who she 

taught, coached, and mentored. 

During her coaching career, Judy has 

been awarded South Dakota Forensic 

Coaches Association Coach of the Year 

on numerous occasions and coached her 

students to multiple State championships in various speech and debate 

events. Her success as a coach was also 

demonstrated at the national level. 

She coached policy debate teams to 2nd 

and 3rd place finishes in 2000 at the National Forensics League National 

Speech and Debate Tournament and a 

7th place finish earlier this summer at 

the same tournament. 

Judy’s longstanding involvement in 

the debate community has been recognized not only by her South Dakota 

peers, but at a national level as well. In 

2011, she was admitted to the National 

Forensics League Hall of Fame. Of the 

thousands of debate coaches who have 

been a part of the National Forensics 

League since its inception in 1925, only 

158 individuals have earned this honor. 

Judy is one of four South Dakotans to 

have received this honor. In addition, 

she was recently named the 2012 National Forensics League Coach of the 

Year. This award recognizes Judy’s 

outstanding leadership and commitment to National Forensic League activities. Judy’s receipt of this award 

marks only the second time a South 

Dakotan has received such an honor 

since it was first awarded in 1953. 

During her teaching and coaching career, Judy encouraged her students to 

never give up on accomplishing their 

goals. She promoted outstanding 

sportsmanship and for years a large 

display in her classroom read, ‘‘What is 

popular is not always right, and what 

is right is not always popular.’’ Judy 

exemplified for her students the importance of working hard and attaining 

success without compromising ethics 

and sense of doing what is right. 

I join Judy’s family, friends, and students in recognizing her meritorious 

work and extend my sincere thanks 

and appreciation to Judy for all she 

has done for her students and the State 

of South Dakota, and wish her the best 

in her retirement.

f 

∑ 

MESSAGES FROM THE HOUSE 

At 1:23 p.m., a message from the 

House of Representatives, delivered by 

Mrs. Cole, one of its reading clerks, announced that the House has passed the 

following bills, in which it requests the 

concurrence of the Senate: 

H.R. 828. An act to amend title 5, United 

States Code, to provide that persons having 

seriously delinquent tax debts shall be ineligible for Federal employment. 

H.R. 3641. An act to establish Pinnacles National Park in the State of California as a 

unit of the National Park System, and for 

other purposes. 

The message further announced that 

the House has passed the following bill, 

without amendment: 


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