E1402 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks August 3, 2012 

HONORING JUDGE JOSEPH P. 

CRONIN JR. 

HON. PATRICK MEEHAN OF PENNSYLVANIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thursday, August 2, 2012 

Mr. MEEHAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor 

a great American, legal scholar and friend— 

Judge Joseph P. Cronin, Jr. Judge Cronin has 

shown a lifelong commitment to public service 

and to Delaware County, Pennsylvania. Judge 

Cronin first served his nation as a Marine and 

following law school he joined the District Attorney’s Office in Delaware County where he 

prosecuted cases in the Juvenile Court. Following his service as a prosecutor, he went on 

to become Partner at the law firm of Cronin, 

Emuryan and Breen. Although in private practice at the time, Judge Cronin still remained 

dedicated to the community by serving his 

township as commissioner. 

On November 5, 1991 Judge Cronin was 

elected to his first 10-year term to the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas. During 

these years as a trial Judge he earned a reputation as a fair-minded and wise jurist. Judge 

Cronin was retained for a second term and in 

January 2008 he was elected President Judge 

by the 19-member Board of Judges to serve 

a five-year term. In that role, Judge Cronin 

showed tremendous skill in leading a busy 

Court System with significant responsibilities. 

Recently, Judge Cronin was instrumental in 

helping Delaware County establish a veteran’s 

treatment court to aid those heroes who now 

suffer from substance abuse and mental illness. Judge Cronin will retire from his position 

on the Court of Common Pleas on August 31, 

2012. 

Judge Joseph Cronin’s service to Delaware 

County has been invaluable and he has our 

enduring gratitude. I join the citizens of Delaware County and the 7th Congressional District in wishing him and his family the best for 

the future. 

f 

RECOGNIZING MARK JOHNSON 

HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thursday, August 2, 2012 

Ms. NORTON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to 

ask the House of Representatives to join me 

in recognizing Mark Johnson, the first AfricanAmerican in history to capture both a World 

Flyweight and Super Flyweight championship 

twice in his career. Also known as ‘‘Too 

Sharp,’’ Mr. Johnson was a top pound-forpound fighter during his sixteen-year career 

from 1990 to 2006. He perfected finesse, 

power, and speed. Attesting to his athleticism, 

his perseverance, and his well-developed 

skills, Johnson attained twenty-one knockouts 

before his matches made it to the fourth 

round. 

Mr. Johnson had more than execution; he 

had an array of intangibles that set him apart 

from the rest of his profession. In his pursuits, 

Mr. Johnson left his natural division to take a 

Super Flyweight title and then go on to challenge bantamweights. While Mr. Johnson did 

not reach significant popularity due to his 

weight class and lack of defining fights, he 

went on to become one of the top pound-forpound fighters in boxing for several years. 

During his career, Mr. Johnson won fortyfour professional boxing matches and lost only 

five. He had twenty-eight knockouts. During 

Mr. Johnson’s amateur career, he won 125 

boxing matches and lost only six. He won the 

first Junior World PentaContinental title in 

1993. He held the International Boxing Federation Flyweight title from May 1996 to September 1998, the International Boxing Federation Super Flyweight title from April 1999 to 

November 1990, and the World Boxing Organization Junior Bantamweight title from August 

2003 to September 2004. Mr. Johnson was 

the first African-American in history to capture 

both a World Flyweight and Super Flyweight 

boxing championship, and he did that not 

once, but twice. 

Since 2008, after retiring from professional 

boxing in 2008, Mr. Johnson, along with his 

father and lifelong trainer, Abraham ‘‘Ham’’ 

Johnson, has been training underprivileged 

boys and girls in their gym located in Southeast Washington, D.C. Today, Mark Johnson 

is employed as a Roving Leader within the 

D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation, 

and in that capacity, he conducts home and 

school visits, and teaches at-risk children to 

read and write. He also is heavily involved in 

gang violence prevention. Mr. Johnson serves 

as a positive and accomplished role-model for 

troubled youth within the Washington, D.C. 

area. 

Mr. Speaker, on June 10, 2012, Mark ‘‘Too 

Sharp’’ Johnson was the first Boxer from 

Washington, D.C. to be inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame, and, at 40 years old, he is 

the youngest ever to have received such an 

honor. ‘‘I have known Mark since he was 6; he 

deserves it and he’s the best bantamweight 

ever,’’ former world-champion Sugar Ray 

Leonard said of Mark Johnson’s induction into 

the Hall of Fame. I ask the House to join me 

in commending Mark Johnson for his outstanding accomplishments as a boxing champion and his ongoing commitment to the youth 

of the District of Columbia. 

f 

TRIBUTE TO MERCERDESE CLARK 

HON. CORRINE BROWN OF FLORIDA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thursday, August 2, 2012 

Ms. BROWN of Florida. On behalf of the 

constituents of the Third Congressional District 

of Florida, I rise now to offer heartfelt condolences and pay tribute to the life of an extraordinary accomplished woman, Mrs. Mercerdese 

Clark, a humanitarian, healer, life activist, and 

friend. 

We are moved and encouraged when recalling the life achievements and service of Mrs. 

Clark as a nurse, community leader, and social activist. She has been an advocate for social service, health awareness and a role 

model and mentor to youth and entrepreneurs 

in the Central Florida community for many 

years. An Orlando native who received her 

Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing from Hampton 

University in Virginia, Mrs. Clark served as a 

nurse at Orange Memorial Hospital and Winter 

Park Memorial Hospital. Shortly after, she became the first African-American female to be 

the Director of the Orange County Health Department in Orlando, Florida. At the time of 

her retirement, she worked as a Nursing Care 

Coordinator at Orlando Veteran Administration 

Outpatient Clinic. 

As a community activist, she gave of herself 

and her talents to benefit both the individuals 

and the many organizations she served. Mrs. 

Clark became chairwoman of the Parramore 

Heritage Renovation project which was responsible for assessing the needs and defining solutions for existing conditions within this 

historic neighborhood. She worked tirelessly to 

maintain the goal of the agency to preserve, 

develop and improve the economics of the 

area; improve the educational level of the residents; and preserve the cultural heritage of 

the community. She took special pride in the 

area because she had close ties to the community having grown up there as well as her 

own personal and historical connection her 

family had to the neighborhood. Mrs. Clark’s 

parents, Leroy E. Richardson and Rosa 

James Richardson, her paternal grandmother, 

Adeline Richardson, and other family members were among Orlando’s earliest residents 

in Central Florida. Mrs. Clark could recall the 

early days of the founding Orlando community 

where needs of families were often provided 

from the surplus of another. It was those 

memories that inspired and motivated her to 

become president of the Parramore Heritage 

Foundation, president of the Carter Street 

Neighborhood Association, and Board Director 

for the Orlando Neighborhood Improvement 

Corporation. She also became a business 

owner in the area to contribute to the economic development of the vicinity by opening 

a women’s boutique, Clarks’ Ladies Fashion. 

Mrs. Clark had a very successful career and 

received numerous awards through her continuous involvement of various community, social 

and civic groups in Central Florida including 

the Orlando Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma 

Theta Sorority, Incorporated where she was 

recognized for 15 years of outstanding service 

and commitment. 

A virtuous woman and mother of two, we 

embrace her children and her family. She was 

a loving and caring mother who nurtured not 

only her children, but the community. We 

honor Mrs. Clark for the many contributions 

and the impact she had on the lives of many. 

She was truly an invaluable member of our 

community and an outstanding servant. The 

life of Mercerdese Clark was one of accomplishment, excellence and service. In her 

passing, we pay tribute to a consummate professional woman for her life of service and we 

pray that by her example each of us become 

the bearers of her spirit and humanitarian legacy of passion for service and excellence. We 

come now to join in prayer for, son, Kenneth 

Clark and daughter Kim G. Clark and a host 

of loving relatives, Sorority Sisters, and friends 

whose lives have been forever changed by 

this woman of God. We thank Our Heavenly 

Father for allowing us to be blessed with the 

time spent with Mrs. Mercerdese Clark. 


rfrederick on DSK6VPTVN1PROD with REMARKS