Jerry Regan, a resident of Oceanport who passed away on March 9, 1999, was one of those rare people who could always be relied upon to be involved in a wide array of professional, community, political and religious activities.  And yet, more importantly, Jerry always maintained as his top priority his devotion to his family and friends.

His involvement in education issues was both wide and deep.  He served as New Jersey delegate to the National School Boards Association and represented school boards in New Jersey’s Sixth Congressional District on the Federal Relations Network, a public school advocacy effort.  He was a member of the Oceanport Board of Education, an adjunct professor at Monmouth College, and an active leader in the Monmouth County and New Jersey school boards associations.  He was President of the Executive Board of the New Jersey School Boards Association from 1988 to 1990, and held other senior posts with the Association. 

Jerry was also deeply involved in the political, religious and civic life of our community.  He served as campaign director and comptroller for my predecessor, the late Rep. James J. Howard, a Member of Congress for nearly a quarter of a century.  He also served on the Diocesan Educational Advisory Council of the Diocese of Trenton.  He was a communicant of St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church in Long Branch, NJ, and was active in the St. Vincent DePaul Society.  He was a Scoutmaster for Boy Scout Troop 58 in Oceanport for 12 years.  Jerry was also a member of the Oceanport Senior Citizens, and he served on the Public Employees Relations Commission.

Jerry Regan was a proud patriot who served our country in time of war, and contributed to our national defense throughout his life.  An Army veteran of World War II, Jerry had a long and highly decorated career at Fort Monmouth.  He was promoted to the highest civilian level in the Department of Defense.  He also served with me and several of my Congressional colleagues, past and present, on the Save Our Fort Committee. He was a member of he Oceanport Division of the Veterans of Foreign Wars

A great American, Jerry Regan was also a proud son of Ireland.  Born in Skibbereen in County Cork, Ireland, Jerry came to the U.S. in 1932.  He became an American citizen while serving in Germany with the Army.  Throughout his life, Jerry maintained a strong devotion to both his native and his adopted homelands.

On this occasion, I also would like to pay tribute to Jerry's wife Marilyn (Pinky) Regan, who has for many years done an absolutely superb job in my campaign office, and to their two sons and three daughters, all the grandchildren, and to Jerry’s other relatives on both sides of the Atlantic. They have much to proud of.

Mr. Speaker, as Members of Congress, we are often called upon to pay tribute to outstanding citizens who are honored for their many achievements, and it is one of the most rewarding parts of our jobs as elected officials.  It is even more rewarding when the person being honored was a respected colleague and a valued friend, like Jerry Regan.

The dedication of the Jeremiah F. Regan Library/Media Center will stand for years to come as a tribute to the public service of an outstanding citizen and community leader.  For those of us who were privileged to know him, the memories of Jerry Regan’s warmth, humor and genuine decency will be equally enduring.