Norman D. Dicks: “I want to join the other members of the Washington congressional delegation today in expressing my sadness at the…”

“I want to join the other members of the Washington congressional delegation today in expressing my sadness at the passing of our former colleague Jack Metcalf, who represented the Second Congressional District of Washington from 1995 to 2001. Jack came to Congress later in his career, having served for 4 years in the State house of representatives and 20 years in the Washington State Senate. And throughout his career in Olympia, he continued to teach in the Everett area at the high school, as he campaigned twice for the United States Senate against a very popular Warren Magnuson and as he built a cabin retreat that became a bed-and-breakfast business that he and his family operated, which was a special place for Norma and him. He campaigned in 1994 for an open seat in Congress and promised to be an independent voice for constituents in the Second District. Having served with Jack during his 6 years in the House, I am able to confirm that he was every bit as independent as he said he would be. He came here as a well-established politician with well-established views, and he freely expressed those views with vigor and conviction. But along the way he also did two things that distinguished him, at least from my viewpoint as a colleague of his in the Washington delegation. First he established a high priority for constituent service, which I believe was critical to his job as Representative.”