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Testimonial Dinner for John Kunkel, Harrisburg, PA, February 13, 1967
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Testimonial Dinner for John Kunkel, Harrisburg, PA, February 13, 1967
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The original documents are located in Box D21, folder "Testimonial Dinner for John
Kunkel, Harrisburg, PA, February 13, 1967" of the Ford Congressional Papers: Press
Secretary and Speech File at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
Copyright Notice
The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of
photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. The Council donated to the United
States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.
Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public
domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to
remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid
copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.
REMARKS AT TESTIMONIAL DINNER FOR JOHN KUNKEL
Ladies and Gentlemen: Tonight we pay tribute to a man we all love and
admire. There are many reasons why we hold John Kunkel close to our hearts.
He is a great gentleman. He is a fine individual. He epitomizes all those
traits of themxx early Americans that have made America the great and glorious
land it is.
When you go to purchase a piece of silverware, you look for the word
"sterling" on it. That is the word that best describes John Knunk Kunkel's
character. He is as solid as the Bock of Gibralter, always to be counted on,
always there when you need him.
John Kunkel is a tremendously capable man. Many others who have ability RD
have a flaw in their charabter. They toot their own horn. Not John. He is
GER
LIBRARY
quiet and unassuming. His ability speaks for itself.
2/
I am one of those people who have great respect for hard work. This is
one of the reasons I admire John Kunkel. Believe me, he is a worker. When he
served in Congress, he worked day and night, seven days a week. It was only
because he thought he was slowing downy that he gradefully insisted
on retiringsx from public service.
Public service has been the theme of John Kunkel's life. He had no reason
to be interested in the salary and emoluments accruing to a member of Congress.
He was simply devoted to the cause of good government. And he loved the people
of his district and served them well. reciprotated, and he
won election to Congress by txx huge majorities. I'm told he led the ticket
in his district in every election-in all four of his counties--receiving
broad Democratic as wells as Republican support.
GERALD FORD LIBRARY
Digitized from Box D21 of The Ford Congressional Papers: Press Secretary and Speech File at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library
3/
I guess I don't have to tell you that John Kunkel comes from a family
tree which provided many of the roots of our modern American democracy. Except
for one generationk, its his family has always had some member serving in the
Congress. His illustrious ancestry traces back to the Revolutionary War days.
His great-great grandfather, Jonathan Dickinson Sergeant, was a member of the
Continental Congress. His great-grandfather, John Sergeant, was a candidate for
the Vice-Presidency. At one time, grandparents from both sides of the Kunkel
family served in the Congre SS xij S imulteneously--one from Lancaster and one from
Dauphin County.
John Kunkel made many enduring contributions to the strength of America
during his tenure in Congress. Perhaps few remember that he served with the
late Tad Walter on the Herter Committee just after World War II and helped to
4/
formulate the recommendations that led to establishment of the Marshall Plan.
John was a membersi of the House Banking and Currency Committee in those years.
He later served on the Public Works Committee, and-after I was elected minority
leader--I named him to the House Pulicy Republican Policy Committee. John was
one of my earliest supporters when I decided to go after the job of minority
leader in January, 1965.
These remarks in tribute to John Kunkel would be incomplete if I NWX
neglected to mention his wife. Mrs. Kunkel, you know, has been very popular
in Washington because she is such a fine lady. And I know John is proud of the
fact that his wife was president of the Congressional Wives Club for the past FORD
two years and did a great job in that office. She xkwa also was president of
the Ladies Prayer Group and for two years preceding presided over the Ladies
LIBRARY
Section of the Presidential Prayer Breakfast.
5/
John received his share of recognition, too. For 10 years he was
president of the 76th Club--the Republican congre ssmen first elected in
1938. After he left the House in 1950 to make a run for the Senate,
President Eisenhower offered him an ambassadorship or two-but John politely
declined. You all know that John returned to the House in 1961 after Walter
Mumma passed on.
Maybe you know, too, that John is a whiz of a bridgeplayer...one of the
best in the country. He has won many regional championships and once won the
national championship of men's pairs in Baltimore.
It turns out that **** Secretary of State Dean Rusk is a sharp bridge
player, too, and during an international bridge tournament at the State Department
he and John Kunkel played the same kind of hand. When the hand
6/
was over, Rusk axkudxenhnx told John he had made six points and asked John
how many he had made. John replied, "Seven."
Now you know why John Kunkel is my candidate for Secretary of State in
the next Repjict Republican Administrations
Seriously, there is little I can say to pay adequate homage to our dear
good friend, John Kunkel. He is the best there is, the kind of man you want
always at your side. I miss him greatly in the Congress. He is my kind of
man, your kind of man, a truly outstanding American. Thank you.
#####
FORD
CONGRESSMAN
NEWS
GERALD R. FORD
HOUSE REPUBLICAN LEADER
RELEASE
FOR RELEASE AT 6:30 P.M.
MONDAY, FEB. 13, 1967
REMARKS BY REP. GERALD R. FORD, R-MICH., AT TESTIMONIAL DINNER FOR JOHN KUNKEL AT
HARRISBURG, PA.
Ladies and Gentlemen, tonight we pay tribute to a man we all love and admire.
There are many reasons why we hold John Kunkel close to our hearts. He is a great
gentleman. He is a fine individual. He epitomizes all those traits of the early
Americans that have made America the great and glorious land it is.
When you go to purchase a piece of silverware, you look for the word "sterling"
on it. That is the word that best describes John Kunkel's character. He is as
solid as the Rock of Gibraltar, always to be counted on, always there when you need
him.
John Kunkel is a tremendously capable man. Many others who have ability have
a flaw in their character. They toot their own horn. Not John. He is quiet and
unassuming. His ability speaks for itself.
I am one of those people who have great respect for hard work. This is one of
the reasons I admire John Kunkel. Believe me, he is a worker. When he served in
Congress, he worked day and night, seven days a week. It was only because he thought
he was slowing down that he gracefully insisted on retiring from public service.
Public service has been the theme of John Kunkel's life. He had no reason to
be interested in the salary and emoluments accruing to a member of Congress. He was
simply devoted to the cause of good government. And he loved the people of his
district and served them well. They reciprocated, and he won election to Congress
by huge majorities. I'm told he led the ticket in his district in every election--
in all four of his counties--receiving broad Democratic as well as Republican support.
I guess I don't have to tell you that John Kunkel comes from a family tree
which provided many of the roots of our modern American democracy. Except for one
generation, his family has always had some member serving in the Congress. His
illustrious ancestry traces back to the Revolutionary War days. His great-great
grandfather, Jonathan Dickinson Sergeant, was a member of the Continental Congress.
His great-grandfather, John Sergeant, was a candidate for the Vice-Presidency. At
one time, grandparents from both sides of the Kunkel family served in the Congress
simultaneously--one from Lancaster and one from Dauphin County.
John Kunkel made many enduring contributions to the strength of America during
his tenure in Congress. Perhaps few remember that he served with the late Tad Walter
-2-
on the Herter Committee just after World War II and helped to formulate the recom-
mendations that led to establishment of the Marshall Plan. John was a member of the
House Banking and Currency Committee in those years. He later served on the Public
Works Committee, and-after I was elected minority leader--I named him to the House
Republican Policy Committee. John was one of my earliest supporters when I decided
to go after the job of minority leader in January, 1965.
These remarks in tribute to John Kunkel would be incomplete if I neglected to
mention his wife. Mrs. Kunkel, you know, has been very popular in Washington because
she is such a fine lady. And I know John is proud of the fact that his wife was
president of the Congressional Wives Club for the past two years and did a great job
in that office. She also was president of the Ladies Prayer Group and for two years
preceding presided over the Ladies Section of the Presidential Prayer Breakfast.
John received his share of recognition, too. For 10 years he was president of
the 76th Club--the Republican congressmen first elected in 1938. After he left the
House in 1950 to make a run for the Senate, President Eisenhower offered him an
ambassadorship or two--but John politely declined. You all know that John returned
to the House in 1961 after Walter Mumma passed on.
Maybe you know, too, that John is a whiz of a bridgeplayer...one of the best
in the country. He has won many regional championships and once won the national
championship of men's pairs in Baltimore.
It turns out that Secretary of State Dean Rusk is a sharp bridge player, too,
and during an international bridge tournament at the State Department he and John
Kunkel played the same kind of hand. When the hand was over, Rusk told John he had
made six points and asked John how many he had made. John replied, "Seven."
Now you know why John Kunkel is my candidate for Secretary of State in the
next Republican Administration!
Seriously, there is little I can say to pay adequate homage to our dear good
friend, John Kunkel. He is the best there is, the kind of man you want always at
your side. I miss him greatly in the Congress. He is my kind of man, your kind of
man, a truly outstanding American. Thank you.
###
CONGRESSMAN
NEWS
GERALD R. FORD
HOUSE REPUBLICAN LEADER
RELEASE
FOR RELEASE AT 6:30 P.M.
MONDAY, FEB. 13, 1967
REMARKS BY REP. GERALD R. FORD, R-MICH. AT TESTIMONIAL DINNER FOR JOHN KUNKEL AT
HARRISBURG, PA.
Ladies and Gentlemen, tonight we pay tribute to a man we all love and admire.
There are many reasons why we hold John Kunkel close to our hearts. He is a great
gentleman. He is a fine individual. He epitomizes all those traits of the early
Americans that have made America the great and glorious land it is.
When you go to purchase a piece of silverware, you look for the word "sterling"
on it. That is the word that best describes John Kunkel's character. He is as
solid as the Rock of Gibraitar, always to be counted on, always there when you need
him.
John Kunkel is a tremendously capable man. Many others who have ability have
a flaw in their character. They toot their own horn. Not John. He is quiet and
unassuming. His ability speaks for itself.
I am one of those people who have great respect for hard work. This is one of
the reasons I admire John Kunkel. Believe me, he is a worker. When he served in
Congress, he worked day and night, seven days a week. It was only because he thought
he was slowing down that he gracefully insisted on retiring from public service.
Public service has been the theme of John Kunkel's life. He had no reason to
be interested in the salary and emoluments accruing to a member of Congress. He was
simply devoted to the cause of good government. And he loved the people of his
district and served them well. They reciprocated, and he won election to Congress
by huge majorities. I'm told he led the ticket in his district in every election--
in all four of his counties--receiving broad Democratic as well as Republican support.
I guess I don't have to tell you that John Kunkel comes from a family tree
which provided many of the roots of our modern American democracy. Except for one
generation, his family has always had some member serving in the Congress. His
illustrious ancestry traces back to the Revolutionary War days. His great-great
grandfather, Jonathan Dickinson Sergeant, was a member of the Continental Congress.
His great-grandfather, John Sergeant, was a candidate for the Vice-Presidency. At
one time, grandparents from both sides of the Kunkel family served in the Congress
simultaneously--one from Lancaster and one from Dauphin County.
John Kunkel made many enduring contributions to the strength of America during
his tenure in Congress. Perhaps few remember that he served with the late Tad Walter
-2-
on the Herter Committee just after World War II and helped to formulate the recom-
mendations that led to establishment of the Marshall Plan. John was a member of the
House Banking and Currency Committee in those years. He later served on the Public
Works Committee, and--after I was elected minority leader--I named him to the House
Republican Policy Committee. John was one of my earliest supporters when I decided
to go after the job of minority leader in January, 1965.
These remarks in tribute to John Kunkel would be incomplete if I neglected to
mention his wife. Mrs. Kunkel, you know, has been very popular in Washington because
she is such a fine lady. And I know John is proud of the fact that his wife was
president of the Congressional Wives Club for the past two years and did a great job
in that office. She also was president of the Ladies Prayer Group and for two years
preceding presided over the Ladies Section of the Presidential Prayer Breakfast.
John received his share of recognition, too. For 10 years he was president of
the 76th Club--the Republican congressmen first elected in 1938. After he left the
House in 1950 to make a run for the Senate, President Eisenhower offered him an
ambassadorship or two--but John politely declined. You all know that John returned
to the House in 1961 after Walter Mumma passed on.
Maybe you know, too, that John is a whiz of a bridgeplayer...one of the best
in the country. He has won many regional championships and once won the national
championship of men's pairs in Baltimore.
It turns out that Secretary of State Dean Rusk is a sharp bridge player, too,
and during an international bridge tournament at the State Department he and John
Kunkel played the same kind of hand. When the hand was over, Rusk told John he had
made six points and asked John how many he had made. John replied, "Seven."
Now you know why John Kunkel is my candidate for Secretary of State in the
next Republican Administration!
Seriously, there is little I can say to pay adequate homage to our dear good
friend, John Kunkel. He is the best there is, the kind of man you want always at
your side. I miss him greatly in the Congress. He is my kind of man, your kind of
man, a truly outstanding American. Thank you.
# # #