E1576 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks September 20, 2012 

regardless of their financial well-being. It offers 

a six month in-house rehab program, a threequarter house program and a work release 

program for its patients. At any given time, the 

Ed Keating Center is home to about 150 men 

and women. 

The Center’s driving principles are that a 

chance for sober living should be available to 

any man or women with a sincere determination to overcome their alcoholism or addiction, 

without regard for their ability to pay. The Center also survives solely on the donations and 

support of individuals and organizations who 

believe in communities helping themselves. 

Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me 

in the important work performed by the Ed 

Keating Center. 

f 

HONORING BERNHEIM ARBORETUM 

AND RESEARCH FOREST FOR 

BEING NAMED ONE OF ‘‘AMERICA’S PRETTIEST PARKS’’ 

HON. BRETT GUTHRIE OF KENTUCKY

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thursday, September 20, 2012 

Mr. GUTHRIE. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to 

congratulate Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest on being named one of ‘‘America’s Prettiest Parks’’ by Yahoo! Travel. 

I am fortunate to know firsthand how beautiful this forest is and I am proud that it is located in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. 

Bernheim’s mission and vision statements, 

‘‘connecting people with nature,’’ and 

‘‘Bernheim will be a nationally treasured leader 

in ecological stewardship that inspires the exploration of deep connections with nature,’’ are 

profound and true. 

Tom Block, a Bernheim Trustee and the 

great-grandson of founder Isaac Wolf 

Bernheim welcomed the distinction, calling it 

‘‘another branch on Bernheim’s growing tree 

of awards and honors.’’ 

Clermont, Kentucky and the surrounding 

community are fortunate to have this forest in 

their backyard. For those of you who have yet 

to visit Bernheim, I encourage you to do so. 

You will be overwhelmed by its beauty and 

peace. 

f 

RECOGNIZING AND CELEBRATING 

THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF MR. 

ALEX M. PETROVIC 

HON. EMANUEL CLEAVER OF MISSOURI

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thursday, September 20, 2012 

Mr. CLEAVER. Mr. Speaker, I proudly rise 

today to acknowledge the achievements of 

former Eastern Jackson County Judge, Missouri State Representative, United States Marine Corps Veteran and Sugar Creek resident, 

Alex M. Petrovic. 

Alex M. Petrovic was born in Kansas City, 

Missouri, on September 23, 1922, the son of 

Mildred and Michael Petrovic, and has dedicated his life to serving his country, state, and 

community. He attended school at Henry Clay 

School in Kansas City, Missouri, Independence Junior High and William Chrisman High 

School in the city of Independence, Missouri, 

and Rockhurst College in Kansas City, Missouri. 

The proud father of six, grandfather of 

twelve, and great-grandfather of two, Mr. 

Petrovic was married to the late Frances 

Diesko Petrovic for fifty-seven years before 

she passed away in 2001. He served as a 

Corporal in the United States Marine Corps 

from the year 1942 to 1945, working as a 

landfall technician, making maps for the 2nd 

Marine Air Wing, and receiving an honorable 

discharge following his service in the Pacific 

theatre, in Guadalcanal and Auckland, New 

Zealand, and Russell Island. 

In addition to his military service, he also 

worked as a railroad clerk for the Union Pacific Railroad, machine operator, foreman, and 

sales manager for the Injection Molding Company, as a salesman for Busboom Brothers, 

as a laborer and engineer at the Standard Oil 

Plant, and a divisional manager at Waddell & 

Reed. 

Alex M. Petrovic served as a Missouri State 

Legislator from the year 1962 until the year 

1966, as a Democrat, representing the area 

bounded by the Missouri River up until 23rd 

Street, Blue Ridge, Kansas City, and 71 Highway. During his terms, he promoted the Little 

Blue Valley Flood Control program, fought to 

keep open the Central Missouri State University in the face of closure, and helped develop 

the Truman Sports Complex. Mr. Petrovic 

played an active and accomplished role in 

local Missouri politics, serving in the Independence Sertoma Club, to which he was elected 

President in the year 1964. 

As a State Representative, Mr. Petrovic discovered piles of state records abandoned in 

the basement of the State Building, and in response, sponsored and passed legislation to 

create a system for managing Missouri’s 

records, establishing the Missouri State Archives. After his terms in the Missouri Legislature, he was elected to serve as Eastern District Judge for Jackson County, the same seat 

which President Harry S Truman occupied before his presidency, from the year 1966 up 

until the year 1970. As the ‘‘Old Judge,’’ he 

oversaw seven bond issues in building the 

world’s largest sports complex in the history of 

sports at the time, for the Kansas City Chiefs 

and the Royals. 

On September 21, 2005, Secretary of State 

Robin Carnahan, the Archives, and fellow 

members of the Missouri Legislature created 

the Alex M. Petrovic Reading Room to maintain the historic records of our Great State of 

Missouri throughout the years. Today, the Missouri State Archives stores document collections dating from 1770 and is visited by 4,500 

hundred people every year. 

Mr. Petrovic will celebrate his ninetieth birthday on September 23, 2012, and has given a 

lifetime of service to his community, and 

should hereby be honored as such. Mr. 

Speaker, I ask that you and our colleagues in 

the House join me in honoring Mr. Petrovic for 

his lifetime of service and accomplishment. 

f 

DR. SAM MONROE 

HON. TED POE OF TEXAS

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thursday, September 20, 2012 

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, since its 

founding in 1909, Lamar State College—Port 

Arthur has undergone many changes, growing 

from a petrochemical industry training ground 

to a flourishing two-year college, offering degrees in numerous highly valued skills. But for 

38 years, there has been one constant on 

campus and that’s the leadership of President 

Dr. Sam Monroe, now recognized as the longest-serving president of a Texas higher education institution. 

While Dr. Monroe was not born in Port Arthur, he got there as fast as he could. He 

moved from College Station at an early age 

and has remained in the Southeast Texas 

area ever since, keeping him tuned in to the 

needs of the surrounding community. Dr. 

Monroe’s career began at the former Port Arthur College, serving as Executive Vice President before being elected President in 1974. 

Wasting no time making significant changes, 

he proposed a merger with Lamar University 

in nearby Beaumont a year later, forming 

Lamar University—Port Arthur. 

Dr. Monroe has overseen a great expansion 

during his tenure. In 1999, they were granted 

admission into the Texas State University System then renamed Lamar State College—Port 

Arthur. A $5.9 million Performing Arts Center 

opened in 2004, and a 7,500 square foot Student Success Center was completed in 2011. 

Dr. Monroe was instrumental in founding and 

operating the Museum of the Gulf Coast, located in downtown Port Arthur, which tells the 

history of this special region. 2004 saw the 

Lamar State College—Port Arthur Seahawks 

begin play in Men’s Basketball and Girl’s Softball, helping to create an expanded athletic 

program and a full college experience. 

Many honors and distinctions have been 

given to Dr. Monroe. The Port Arthur News 

named him its Citizen of the Year in 2004. He 

was the first male recipient of the Quota International of Southeast Texas Man of the Year 

Award in 2005, the first time in almost 60 

years that the award was open to both males 

and females. Earlier this month, he was recognized by Governor Rick Perry as the education president with the longest service in 

Texas. And, his dedication to the community 

has expanded outside of campus as Dr. Monroe has volunteered his time on such varied 

organizations as the Port Arthur Public Library 

and the Port Arthur Housing Authority. 

Thanks to Dr. Sam Monroe, Lamar State 

College—Port Arthur has transitioned from a 

small technical school to a sprawling, 40-acre 

campus home to over 3,000 students. I am 

proud to recognize his accomplishments. He 

has touched countless lives, and Southeast 

Texas is a better place for it. 

And that’s just the way it is. 

f 

HONORING VICTIMS OF BACTERIAL 

MENINGITIS 

HON. KEVIN BRADY OF TEXAS

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thursday, September 20, 2012 

Mr. BRADY of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise 

today to remember Ryan Milley, a young man 

from Conroe, Texas who was born on September 20, 1979. In 1998, 18-year old Ryan 

lost his life to meningococcal meningitis. 

As a result of Ryan’s death his family founded Meningitis Angels, a national nonprofit organization that educates the public, health 


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