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[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1406]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF JAMES C. BOHAN
______
HON. ROSA L. DeLAURO
of connecticut
in the house of representatives
Friday, November 8, 2019
Ms. DeLAURO. Madam Speaker, it is with the heaviest of hearts that I
rise today to remember and pay tribute to my dear friend, James Bohan,
who was taken from us much too soon as he lost his hard-fought battle
with cancer. I am heartbroken for his wife Janice, and his two
children, Jim Jr. and Jennifer. Jim was one of a kind and I, like all
those fortunate enough to have known him, will miss him.
If there were two things you knew about Jim Bohan, it was that he
``worked for the City'' for too many years to count and that he was
enormously proud of his Irish heritage. Jim had a story for any
occasion, with most of them starting ``when I worked for the City . .
.'' and the rest of them some adventure or antic that had ensued at
``the Parade.'' He was a storyteller and would impart his knowledge to
anyone willing to listen.
Jim dedicated his professional life to housing and community
development. He began his career at the New Haven Redevelopment Agency
as an Administrative Assistant with the Hill Project Office where he
served as a liaison between federal officials and the City and
developed planning proposals for neighborhood schools, housing, and
parks. He went on to spend nearly a decade at the organization as a
Development Officer where he was responsible for monitoring
construction projects across the City as well as liaising with state
and local elected officials and community groups. In 1976, he began his
career with the City of New Haven as the Coordinator of the
Neighborhood Preservation Program. Jim would eventually go on to serve
in the City's Development Administration where he was really a jack-of-
all-trades. He was the Coordinator of Protocol, organizing major public
events around the City; a liaison between various City Departments and
local engineering firms; and the manager of the site selection process
for the City Infill Housing Program to name just a few. It was from the
Development Administration that Jim retired from City service in 1990.
Jim's retirement from the City turned out to be one of my most
fortunate opportunities. Having been elected to my first term in the
United States Congress, I found myself in search of trusted staff who
would be able to manage the volumes of constituent services that were
in demand. Jim was one of the first members of my staff. From his long
history with the City of New Haven, Jim was not only familiar with the
City at its heart but also with neighboring communities that made up
Connecticut's 3rd Congressional District. Over the decade Jim worked
with me, we spent countless hours traveling to events and meeting
across the District. He became so much more than a staff member and
friend--he became family. And though he left the Congressional office
in 2002, he stayed in touch through frequent visits and passing on a
variety of constituent requests.
As I mentioned, Jim was extraordinarily proud of his Irish heritage
and he made every effort to celebrate and share his heritage with
everyone he knew. Nothing demonstrates that more than his dedication to
the Greater New Haven St. Patrick's Day Parade--the City's annual
tribute to all things Irish. Jim was a dedicated member of the parade
committee for many years and served as Grand Marshal in 1981. He went
on to serve as the Parade's Executive Chairman for nearly a decade and,
even after stepping down from the Executive Committee, Jim served as
the Parade Coordinator--perhaps the most thankless of jobs--for a
number of years. Even after he and Janice bought a home in Florida, Jim
would make frequent trips to New Haven for parade meetings and, of
course, the parade itself. The shrine in his home, a collection of
memorabilia and keepsakes, speaks to the special place the Parade and
the Committee held in his heart.
In his retirement, Jim also followed another of his passions--
firefighting. The son of Captain in the New Haven Fire Department, Jim
proudly followed in his footsteps becoming a volunteer with the
Branford Fire Department for many years. Jim's fascination with his
father's legacy could be seen in his collection of hundreds of
carefully crafted fire engine models which he painstakingly built in
his free time. One of his other favorite pastimes was serving in the
Connecticut Foot Guard's 2nd Company--a historical state military
organization whose members volunteer their time and talents to events
and programs across Connecticut.
I consider myself fortunate to have called Jim my friend and, like
for so many others, his absence will leave a hole that will never quite
be filled. I extend my deepest sympathies to Janice, Jim Jr. and
Jennifer. I hope that they know what an incredible impact he had on the
lives of his friends and colleagues. Jim will be missed but never
forgotten.
____________________
