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[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E821]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
IN REMEMBRANCE OF TIMOTHY MILLS JOHNSON
______
HON. HENRY C. ``HANK'' JOHNSON, JR.
of georgia
in the house of representatives
Monday, June 24, 2019
Mr. JOHNSON of Georgia. Madam Speaker, I rise today in loving
remembrance of, and in tribute to Mr. Timothy Mills Johnson, a longtime
Capitol Hill staffer with our former colleagues Mike Oxley and Spencer
Bachus, and the President of the Capitol Hill Tennis Club, who passed
away late last year.
Tim, as he was affectionately known on the tennis court and in the
halls of Congress, was an outstanding staffer, great tennis player and
instructor, but most importantly, a friend to so many staffers across
both chambers and across the aisles--and friendship is essential to the
soul.
To say that his was a life ``well-lived,'' is the true meaning of
understatement. But first, let me tell you a little bit about Tim.
At an early age, Tim started playing tennis under the tutelage of his
grandfather Nelson Turnell, a member of the Chautauqua Sports Hall of
Fame, and his uncle Daniel Turnell, who played varsity tennis at the
University of Mississippi from 1965 to 1968. Tim's competitive tennis
career started at Jamestown High School, where he played for Coach Fred
Natarelli. Tim had standout seasons in 1977 and 1978 as first doubles
on the JHS team. In 1977, Tim was undefeated at first doubles playing
in the Chautauqua-Cattaraugus Tennis League.
Following high school, Tim attended Syracuse University. He graduated
in May 1982 with a double major in political science and broadcast
journalism, was on the Dean's List for five semesters, and was inducted
into Phi Beta Kappa, the academic honorary. During the summer of 1980
in Jamestown, he prepared, wrote, announced and produced radio shows on
news and sports for a radio reading service for the disabled carried on
a sub-channel of WHUG.
This led to Tim covering all five General Conference on United
States-Soviet Relations at Chautauqua Institution from 1985 to 1989,
traveling to the Soviet Union, and received numerous broadcasting
awards for his efforts.
Following graduation, Tim worked at WKSN radio and was active in the
local tennis community until 1994, when he moved to Washington to work
in Congress, as a fellow of the American Political Science Association.
Tim worked as a legislative assistant to Congressman Mike Oxley of
Ohio, who also was manager of the Republican Congressional Baseball
team, an annual tradition popular amongst members of Congress, staff,
and others. Tim became the coach and one of the principal organizers
for the game, a position that continued for nearly 20 years. Tim also
happened to be in the dugout during the tragic shooting at Republican
baseball practice in 2017.
For his work, Tim was quoted about the Congressional baseball game in
a variety of publications, such as the Washington Post and Roll Call.
He worked tirelessly, as an unpaid volunteer, to raise money by
arranging for sponsors for the Congressional baseball game and was
recognized in 2014 by the respective team managers for his years of
contribution to the game, ranging from shagging balls at 6:30 a.m.
practices to organizing the distribution of charitable giving.
Tim completed his career on the Hill in the office of Congressman
Spencer Bachus, serving as Communications Director until retirement.
While Tim was a presence on the Hill during the week, for almost 30
years he served as president of the Capitol Hill Tennis Club, which
worked closely with the charity efforts of numerous tennis-related
organizations such as the Cystic Fibrosis Celebrity Tennis Gala, the
Thanks USA, the Washington Kastles, the Foundation for Prader-Willi
Research, Hope Street Kids, and the Washington Tennis and Education
Foundation (WTEF). For the WTEF, Tim helped organize an annual
celebrity tournament where members of Congress, professional tennis
players, Congressional staff, community leaders, and others played to
raise money for critical causes around the country.
For many years, as part of his duties with the CHTC, for countless
weekends in the hot sun of our nation's capital, through his diagnosis,
Tim had one of his toughest duties keeping the peace among spirited
Capitol Hill staffers as he fed them tennis ball after ball, rain or
shine, and more often than not, helping someone perfect a grip, shot,
or foot movement on the tennis court with his trademark patience and
equanimity.
Madam Speaker, right now, Tim is in Heaven, serving, and is up 40-
Love, but instead of raining down another serve, he gently guides the
ball over the net so as to keep the ball in play and enjoy a long rally
as he did for so many of us during his sojourn here.
____________________