Jerry Moran: “I rise this evening in memory of my friend, Ross Beach. The House rules only allow me 5 minutes to speak, and it's…”

“I rise this evening in memory of my friend, Ross Beach. The House rules only allow me 5 minutes to speak, and it's difficult to summarize anyone's life in such a short time, but impossible to do justice to the life of Mr. Beach. Ross passed away this weekend at his home at the age of 92. Ross was defined by family and friends, business success, and charity. A lifelong Kansan, Ross received his education in my hometown of Hays. Following a childhood upbringing in the oil and gas fields of western Kansas, Ross enrolled at Kansas State University, where he met and later married the love of his life, Marianna Kistler. They were married in 1941. Ross's service as a naval aviator during World War II sparked an interest in flying that would continue throughout his life. Ross was a pioneer in our State in banking, radio and television, and in oil and gas. His many professional endeavors created jobs and economic opportunity for many Kansans. He was the president of Kansas Natural Gas Company and chairman of the board of Douglas County Bank. His success in the business world was overshadowed only by his and his wife's generosity. Ross and Marianna are among our State's most prolific supporters of arts and education--the greatest supporters that perhaps we will ever see in our State.”