Pete Stark: “Tom will be remembered as a passionate advocate for human rights around the world and a strong voice for better schools…”

“Tom will be remembered as a passionate advocate for human rights around the world and a strong voice for better schools and a cleaner environment. The obituaries and my colleagues tonight will fill in many details and have much praise for the wonderful job that Tom did in his period here. I just tried to pick out a few things that he will be remembered for. As the Speaker mentioned, he worked to give a voice to the voiceless in Burma, Tibet, wherever oppression raised its ugly head. In Congress, as in life, he was a doer, a leader, a fighter. Two years ago, Tom was arrested in front of the Sudanese Embassy for protesting the genocide in Darfur. He swam every morning at 5:30 until recently. He was a man who enjoyed and lived life to its fullest. As has been mentioned, he is survived by a large and wonderful family he loved, and they loved him. Without saying, our sympathy goes to Tom's wife and childhood sweetheart, Annette, their two daughters, Annette and Katrina, and their many grandchildren and great grandchildren. To appreciate, I guess, all that Tom accomplished, we ought to think a little bit about his life before joining us here in Congress. He grew up in Hungary and survived Nazi labor camps. He arrived in the United States in 1947 on an academic scholarship. And at Customs, you think it is a problem to take off your shoes now, at customs he was greeted and they immediately confiscated his only possession, a Hungarian salami.”