Shelley's great post prompted me to reveal what I have discovered since Dad died in March. This is not to undermine Shelley's interesting post (keep commenting on her's!), but I've been going thru mom's scrapbooks, pictures, etc. and have been absolutely shocked at the number of personal letters, invitations to Presidential inaugurations and Balls, and momentos Dad received over the years. As many have noted, he never bragged nor talked much about his close encounters with many famous people before, during, and after he and mom resided in D.C. from '86-91.
I am making a scrapbook for the family and anxious to share it with you all when possible. Just a few of the things in the scapbook include: personal (to Dad), signed letters from: Secretaries of Agriculture Orville Freeman, John Block (many), Clayton Yeutter (many), and Edward Madigan. Also signed letters from Senator Chuck Percy, Gov. James Thompson (many), Senator Richard Lugar, Senator Strom Thurmond, Senator Jesse Helms, Congressman Bob Michel, Republican National Committee Chairman Lee Atwater, Senator Alan J. Dixon, Angela (Bay) Buchanan, and others. Mom was the one who saved all the letters!! He (and Mom) had occasion to see and hear Pres. Reagan and Pres. Bush Sr. several times. And, as you may know, he met with Pres. Reagon in 1980 for 45 minutes in Chicago's Palmer House to brief him on current Agricultural issues of the day, just prior to Reagan's first election. Dad talked, Reagan listened -- resulting in a photograph together and a personal "Thank You" letter from Reagan.
Dad was also a member of the Capital Hill Club which held many breakfasts for members with distinguished speakers. Here's a few of the speakers he was invited to (and he attended), to hear: Sec. of State George Schultz, Alan Simpson, Newt Gingrich, Ed Rollins, Alexander Haig, Richard Lyng, Jack Kemp, Judge Robert Bork, James Baker, Edwin Meese, Robert Michel, Dan Quayle, Ambassador Jeanne Kirkpatrick, and others.
In view of him seldom mentioning these things, please allow me to now do so. I just thought it might be insightful to the full lives he and mom have lived and would be interesting to the inner-family...especially us old-timers who would remember most of these names, etc.
Cleve
3 comments:
I guess that was what made Ralph so outstanding--he didn't toot his own horn in spite of the many honors that came his way. It appears he was humble without trying to be so. Thank you, Cleve,for sharing and giving new insights on your dad. These same thoughts also apply to Catherine, who has been a dear through the years.
I remember many of those names. . .guess that makes me an old-timer. :-) I remember feeling like it was quite an honor to have a family member have a position like that in Washington, and also will never forget the day in summer 1986 in rural South Carolina when I heard his voice speaking about some agricultural issue on the radio news!
As was stated at his funeral last March, he was a modern-day Joseph.
Even with my non-political mind, I recognized most of those names. He definitely did not brag about his accomplishments. It must be great fun reading all those letters and other papers.
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