[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 60 (Thursday, April 6, 2023)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Pages E295-E296] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
Date: 2023-04-06
Chamber: EXTENSIONS
Mr. COURTNEY: I rise today to mourn the loss of Mr. John Mordasky of Stafford, Connecticut. The Town of Stafford, State of Connecticut and our nation lost a giant whose example of public service citizenship will leave a gigantic footprint with his passing at age 97 on April 1, 2023. John's amazing life could be the script of a Hollywood movie, given his courageous service as a decorated World War II combat veteran, Connecticut state representative, his lifelong vocation as an iconic New England dairy farmer, and his deep devotion to his beautiful family. Mr. Speaker, I had the honor to know John as a friend for 36 years and to serve with him in the Connecticut General Assembly for eight years. He will always stand out to me as the quintessential model of public servant who always put the public interest and the public good above petty, political or personal gain.  Born 1925 to Francis and Sophia Mordasky in Stafford, John, like many who have woven themselves into the American story, formed the strongest of roots out of his identity as a first generation American and eastern Connecticut native. The loyalty he discovered through this identity and from his parents' upbringing formed a ferocity within John not to be matched by many. He was tough as nails. At age 17, following the United States entry into World War II, John did not hesitate to enlist in the war effort and was at the forefront of the Allied effort to defend democracy. He was assigned to the US Army Air Corps and became a B29 tail gunner--one the most dangerous, high-risk duties in the bomber fleet. John experienced intense combat defending his aircraft and crew in more than 22 frontline missions from direct enemy fire. John's planes crash landed twice during individual missions, fortunately on the reclaimed island of Iwo Jima in the final months of the Pacific campaign. Upon the conclusion of the War, John returned home to eastern Connecticut from half a world away. His devotion to serving his community did not end however when he hung up his uniform for the last time. In his immediate post-war life, he went back to school on the GI Bill and attained a bachelor's in animal sciences from the University of Connecticut's flagship College of Agriculture, where he also met the love of his life, Louise Rosemary ``Rosie'' Rossiter. Equipped with an education, John and Rosie found property back in Stafford and started Pinerise Dairy Farm. Together, their life in agriculture existed as a platform to launch broader involvement in the community. For John, he became an active member in the Connecticut agricultural community: from 4H, to the Connecticut Milk Producers Association, to his honorary membership in Future Farmers for America. John also notably served on Stafford's Board of Selectman and Zoning Board of Appeals. Each of these involvements were pursued as the two raised six children: Rose, Frances, David, Bill, John, and Maureen; and housed, at one point, more than 600 dairy cows. As if his impressive family-owned farm, an economic driver within the region, and local involvement were not enough, John still felt a higher calling to serving the public. In 1979, John successfully ran for a bid to represent the 52nd District in the Connecticut General Assembly as state representative. Maintaining his permanent job as the head of a full-scale dairy operation, John's pulse reflected that of the area. He performed this additional role with a herculean level of energy, literally commuting to and from Connecticut's State Capitol to make sure the farm's animals were attended to, for 22 years. During his tenure in the Capitol, he came to be a bipartisan leader on several committees including the Assembly's Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee, as well as a well-respected colleague as the House chamber's Assistant Majority Leader. In 1996, John was recognized by the Connecticut Council of Small Towns as Legislator of the Year. Mr. Speaker, as a fellow recipient of this award in a separate year, who also had the privilege of working with State Representative Mordasky, I can attest that this recognition was not only well-placed, but also well deserved. Mr. Speaker, John was simply an amazing person and the brightest reflection of what eastern Connecticut has to offer to our country. A child of immigrants, John lived the American Dream and worked hard to serve the land from which he was born and raised. He will be remembered and missed dearly by his wife of 74 years, Rose, six children, the entire sprawling Mordasky Clan, as well as the entire northeastern Connecticut region. He should also be remembered by the nation. To that end, Mr. Speaker, now that this one farmer's worries are over, I ask that my colleagues join me in honoring John Mordasky and thank him for his honorable and distinguished life and contribution to his Nation.