E1596 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks September 21, 2012 

awarded the Army Certificate of Achievement 

and the Army Achievement Medal. 

Josh is survived by a loving family, including 

his wife, Teosha Reed of Lawton, Oklahoma; 

his parents; two brothers, Nicholas Thompson 

and Tristan Reed; and grandparents Elva 

Karns and Lewis ‘‘Butch’’ and Judy Lenhart. 

Josh courageously volunteered to serve in 

defense of his family, his community, his state, 

and his nation. Every American lives under the 

blanket of safety he helped provide. For this, 

we owe him and his family a great debt of 

gratitude. 

Josh will be deeply missed. But the strength 

of his character and the courage he demonstrated through his service will live on. 

f 

IN HONOR OF LARRY WALTON 

COLSON 

HON. SANFORD D. BISHOP, JR. OF GEORGIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thursday, September 20, 2012 

Mr. BISHOP of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, it is 

with a heavy heart and solemn remembrance 

that I rise today to pay tribute to a great man 

and close friend, Larry Walton Colson. Mr. 

Colson passed away on September 18, 2012. 

Visitation will be held at Carson McLane Funeral Home at 11 a.m. on Thursday, September 20, 2012, and funeral services will be 

held on Friday, September 21, 2012. 

Mr. Colson graduated from Valdosta High 

School in 1966. He attended Valdosta State 

University and graduated with a degree in 

Business Administration. Mr. Colson was an 

entrepreneur at heart. He was the owner and 

founder of Colson Business Systems, Inc. as 

well as the co-owner of Splash Zone. 

Mr. Colson loved his community and actively served in various capacities. He served 

on the Guardian Bank Board of Advisors, the 

South Georgia Medical Center Foundation 

Board and the Valdosta State University Board 

of Trustees. He was also a Blazer Booster as 

well as an avid Florida Gator Booster. 

A favorite pastime of Mr. Colson’s was playing golf. He played as an amateur in the AT&T 

Pebble Beach National Pro-Am. He was also 

an active member of Park Avenue United 

Methodist Church where he served as an 

usher. 

George Washington Carver once said, ‘‘How 

far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the 

aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak and strong because someday 

in your life you will have been all of these.’’ 

Mr. Colson went far in life because of his kindness and compassion for others. 

Mr. Colson is preceded in death by his father, George Wallace Colson; his brother, Gordon Wallace Colson; and uncles, Carlton 

Thomas Adams and Kenneth Carmen Colson. 

He is survived by his wife, Patricia Louise 

Colson; children, Rachel (Steve) Blankenship, 

Allison (David) Gracey, and Hunter Colson; his 

mother Myrtice Adams Colson; brother Greg 

Colson (wife Cheryl); sister-in-law Valerie 

Colson; many loving nephews: Todd Hatcher, 

Brent Colson (wife Cara), Brad Colson, and 

Trace Colson; as well as many great nieces 

and nephews: Ellen, Cole, Julia and Tate 

Colson, Caroline and Davis Hatcher. 

Mr. Speaker, my wife Vivian and I would like 

to extend our deepest sympathies to Mr. 

Colson’s wife Pat, their children and other 

family members during this difficult time. May 

they be consoled and comforted by their abiding faith and the Holy Spirit in the days, weeks 

and months ahead. 

f 

IN HONOR OF MR. WALTER 

BORKOWSKI 

HON. DENNIS J. KUCINICH OF OHIO

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thursday, September 20, 2012 

Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in 

honor of Mr. Walter Borkowski who is being 

honored by the Polonia Foundation on October 7, 2012. 

Born September 11, 1969, Walter is a first 

generation American. He was raised in Parma, 

Ohio and attended Normandy High School before earning a degree in business administration from the University of Toledo. Following 

graduation, Walter began a career in financial 

services as a customer service representative 

with Transamerica Financial Services. Within 

two years, he was the Executive Branch Manager of the Canton, Ohio office. He briefly left 

Northeast Ohio for a job with Long Beach 

Mortgage Company, but returned when he 

launched Consumers Choice Mortgage Inc. 

Walter retired from Trust In Equity Mortgage 

Group, LLC in 2009, but continues to work as 

a part-time Mortgage Consultant. 

Walter has been involved in the PolishAmerican community since he was a young 

child as a singer in the John Borkowski Orchestra. At the age of 24, he was elected to 

his first of two terms as the director of the Alliance of Poles of American. Currently, he is 

the Recording Secretary for the Cleveland Society of Poles and the Alternate National Director for the Polish American Congress. 

Mr. Speaker and colleagues, please join me 

in honoring Mr. Walter Borkowski and congratulating him as he is recognized by the 

Polonia Foundation. 

f 

RECOGNIZING AND HONORING MS. 

GENEVIEVE FLOREZ 

HON. JEFF DENHAM OF CALIFORNIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thursday, September 20, 2012 

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

recognize and honor Miss Genevieve Florez, 

who organized a school-wide donation project 

to send care package to our troops. 

At age 10, Genevieve is the youngest child 

of Susan and Steve Florez. She has attended 

Joshua Cowell Elementary School since kindergarten, where her mother is a teacher. The 

family lives in Twain Harte, and Genevieve 

and her mom commute to school daily—an 

hour and a half trip each way. While in the car 

she does her homework, reads, and talks with 

her mom about all of the things that fill the life 

of a 5th grader. 

Despite all the time that Genevieve dedicates to her studies and long commute, she 

still finds the energy to help with a home garden, participate in summer drama productions, 

and take dance classes. She loves art and 

keeps a sketchbook of her own fashion designs. Not only is Genevieve bright, happy, 

thoughtful, and creative, but she is a highly 

motivated self-starter ready to make a difference in the world. In fact, her goal is to be 

the future President of the United States. 

The care package project was inspired by 

Genevieve’s admiration for her school principal, Ms. Bennett. Genevieve sent her the following letter: You inspired me. I want to help 

and stop world hunger, no more bullies, say 

thanks to police, fire-fighters, and ladies and 

men in the military. I also want to say thanks 

to the teachers. I don’t know how to help. 

That’s why I ask you. This is money to help 

with anything. Miss Florez had enclosed $20 

dollars. 

After speaking with Principal Bennett about 

a variety of ways to reach out to people, Genevieve decided to pursue the idea of sending 

packages to soldiers overseas. Bennett put 

Genevieve in touch with the family of Corporal 

Charles O. Palmer—a United States Marine, 

who lost his life in Iraq on May 5, 2007. Corporal Palmer’s family met with Genevieve to 

help her coordinate services as she prepared 

to send personal care packages to the troops. 

After organizing three school meetings to 

share her idea about the project, Genevieve 

had successfully earned the support of 70 students who wanted to participate. 

On September 11, 2012, a school assembly 

was held to remember those who lost their 

lives during the attacks and to honor the heroes that emerged who protect us every day. 

The Palmer Family spoke to the students 

about the collecting of items to send to the 

soldiers. They talked about the personal healing that the project brings to them, and they 

thanked the students for their efforts. They finished by letting the students know that they 

were all heroes for making a difference at that 

moment. After sorting through all of the donations, the Palmer Family, students, staff, and 

volunteers were able to send out 65 boxes to 

our very deserving troops. 

Mr. Speaker, please join me in praising 

Genevieve Florez for the significant contributions she has made to the people of the local 

community and for her honorable and faithful 

dedication to our service men and women of 

the United States of America. 

f 

RECOGNIZING THE 90TH ANNIVERSARY OF BISHOP GUILFOYLE 

CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL IN ALTOONA, PENNSYLVANIA 

HON. BILL SHUSTER OF PENNSYLVANIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Thursday, September 20, 2012 

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

recognize the 90th anniversary of Bishop 

Guilfoyle Catholic High School in Altoona, 

Pennsylvania. 

Bishop Guilfoyle has been dedicated to the 

education and development of Altoona’s youth 

for nearly a century, and its commitment to excellence has helped the school to become a 

tremendously influential institution in our community. The school places a great emphasis 

on instilling a culture of goodness, discipline, 

and knowledge in its students, as evidenced 

by its valued presence in the Altoona area. 

In 1922, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Altoona and Johnstown established Bishop 


tjames on DSK6SPTVN1PROD with REMARKS