Bill Text: NY K00179 | 2021-2022 | General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Congratulating Clarence Zurn upon the occasion of celebrating his 100th Birthday
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2021-04-20 - adopted [K00179 Detail]
Download: New_York-2021-K00179-Introduced.html
Assembly Resolution No. 179 BY: M. of A. Angelino CONGRATULATING Clarence Zurn upon the occasion of celebrating his 100th Birthday WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to commemorate and recognize certain milestones celebrated by citizens of this great Empire State; and WHEREAS, Senior citizens bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to the increasingly active roles they play in today's society; their past contributions and future participation are a vital part of, and valuable asset to, the fabric of community life and activity; and WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to congratulate Clarence Zurn upon the occasion of his 100th Birthday, celebrated with a surprise drive-by parade on Saturday, April 3, 2021, at his home in Hancock, New York; and WHEREAS, Clarence Zurn was born on April 7, 1921, in Johnson City, New York, at what is now Wilson Medical Center, to dairy farmers Clarence Cecil Zurn and Blanche Jenson Zurn, who worked for the Southern Tier shoe manufacturer at the time; and WHEREAS, At three years old, Clarence Zurn and his family moved to the French Woods area of the Town of Hancock, where he and his brothers, Charles and Elmer, spent their summer afternoons playing baseball; and WHEREAS, Along with his brothers, Clarence Zurn attended a one-room schoolhouse in Pea Brook, next to the cemetery and the Methodist church the family attended on Sundays; he went on to graduate from Hancock Central School in 1938; it would be nearly another decade before the Zurn family home, now at the end of Silas Tompkins Road, was wired for electricity; and WHEREAS, Clarence Zurn and the former Leona Eunice Smith, the daughter of another dairy farming family from just over the border in Stockport, Pennsylvania, were united in marriage in 1952, and together they raised their four children, Robert, Dennis, Peggy and Frederick, in the same house his parents lived in; and WHEREAS, Clarence Zurn lived through many of history's great milestones throughout the 20th century, including the D-Day invasion at Normandy, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin's first steps on the moon, and the assassinations of countless political leaders; he can also recall when the dirt road where he spent nearly 97 years of his life was transformed from a horse-and-buggy path to a street, as well as the development of state Route 17, necessitated in part by the midcentury growth of Catskills tourism; and WHEREAS, In 1986, Clarence Zurn retired his farming operation, which by then had expanded to include cauliflower crops; he worked for several years as a courier for the Callicoon Community Bank, ferrying thousand-dollar bags of quarters between its five branches; and WHEREAS, Furthermore, with a steadfast and unwavering commitment to his community, Clarence Zurn served as Hancock Town Assessor from 1990 to 2010; and WHEREAS, In his free time, Clarence Zurn enjoys hunting deer, fishing in the Delaware River and reading; a fan of waltzes and polka, he is an ardent admirer of American accordionist Lawrence Welk; additionally, as his mobility allows, he continues to ride his tractor and helps chop his own wood; and WHEREAS, Clarence Zurn with his zest for life, has inspired and enhanced the lives of his family and friends; and WHEREAS, This distinguished man has experienced the incredible joys and sorrows characteristic of and reserved for those with the stamina and courage to savor a full life; and WHEREAS, Clarence Zurn has enriched the lives of those around him through his joyous and sincere love for others and through the quiescent charm and wisdom which comes only from a fullness of years; and WHEREAS, It is the intent of this Legislative Body to publicly recognize those who have reached such a remarkable age and who have witnessed and celebrated the innovations, cultural developments and awesome achievements of this country during the last century, while themselves contributing to the growth and excellence of this great Empire State; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to congratulate Clarence Zurn upon the occasion of celebrating his 100th Birthday; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to Clarence Zurn.