congressional_record: CREC-1994-12-20-pt1-PgS18
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| CREC-1994-12-20-pt1-PgS18 | 1994-12-20 | 103 | 2 | TRIBUTE TO DONALD J. ``COOTIE'' MASTERS | SENATE | SENATE | FRONTMATTER | S | S | [{"name": "Larry Pressler", "role": "speaking"}] | 140 Cong. Rec. S | Congressional Record, Volume 140 Issue 150 (Tuesday, December 20, 1994) [Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 150 (Tuesday, December 20, 1994)] [Senate] [Page S] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov] [Congressional Record: December 20, 1994] From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] TRIBUTE TO DONALD J. ``COOTIE'' MASTERS Mr. PRESSLER. Mr. President, there are thousands of weekly newspaper editors in the United States. I have met many of them in my home State of South Dakota. These editors contribute more than publishing the community paper. Few of the ones whom I have had the privilege of knowing have contributed more or had a greater impact on me than my hometown paper's editor and publisher, Donald J. ``Cootie'' Masters. More than the publisher of the Humboldt Journal and a leader in our community, Cootie Masters was a true South Dakotan. He took great pride in his work, his family, his community, and his faith. As the editor of our local newspaper, Cootie was part of the lives of thousands of South Dakotans. I don't know whether Cootie ever really understood his positive impact on us. He was an example and inspiration to many South Dakotans. Cootie had a great impact on my life. He had been a member of the State legislature. He was a man of letters. He was a mentor of mine in many ways. I always kept in touch with him, even when I was serving in Vietnam, studying at Harvard Law School, and later at Oxford University as a Rhodes scholar. At my swearing-in ceremony to the U.S. Senate, held at the Humboldt High School gym, Cootie was the master of ceremonies. Cootie passed away in October. I want to take this opportunity to pay tribute to him. Cootie was born on July 7, 1906. He spent his life in Humboldt near the farm where I grew up. His Humboldt upbringing and strong family ties instilled in him a deep respect for traditional values. He graduated from Humboldt High School in 1924 and went on to attend the University of South Dakota. In 1924, it was quite an accomplishment for a young student from a small town to attend college. This was to be only the beginning of Cootie's many accomplishments. In addition to his studies at the University of South Dakota, Cootie participated in basketball and became a fraternity brother in Delta Tau Delta. He demonstrated at a young age the importance of life of social involvement and a balance between intellectual and physical pursuits. After Cootie graduated from college, he became involved in the family business. His father owned and operated the Humboldt Journal and began passing on his business knowledge to Cootie. Cootie's father died suddenly in 1936, leaving Cootie as the sole owner and editor of the Journal. Anyone in family business will tell you that the successful passing on of a family business to the next generation is much more difficult than most people think. Cootie was not only successful at taking over the Journal in 1936, he was successful in operating it until well after his retirement. Cootie's life involved much more than his newspaper work. He contributed to the whole State of South Dakota by serving in the legislature as a representative from Minnehaha County from 1936 to 1941. Cootie balanced his successful business and political career with devotion to his family and friends. On June 12, 1933, Cootie married Mildred Newton. Cootie and Mildred had three sons: Neal, Tom, and Bob. Today, the Masters family includes 7 grandchildren and 11 great grandchildren. I know Cootie considered his family to be the most precious blessing in his life. Aside from his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, what may have kept Cootie young for so long was his robust enjoyment of life. After college, he continued to participate in baseball and basketball. An avid sportsman, Cootie enjoyed fishing and hunting. He certainly picked the right State to enjoy the great outdoors. What is most impressive about Cootie is that with all of his public activities, he was always described as a man without an enemy. Cootie was a true friend to me, to our community, and to our State. I always will remember him fondly. ____________________ |