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[Page S3203]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS
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REMEMBERING RICHARD BENEVILLE
Ms. MURKOWSKI. Mr. President, I rise today to honor the legacy
of a friend and one of Alaska's truly unique individuals, the mayor of
Nome, Richard Beneville. We lost the mayor last month when he succumbed
to pneumonia in the town he called home for more than 32 years.
Richard's life story was colorful. He left New York City as a young man
struggling with alcoholism and searching for a new life. Alaska was as
far away as he could go, and he often said Alaska saved him. He spent a
few years in Barrow before moving to Nome in 1988, and I think it is
fair to say that the town has never been the same since. His career
began on Broadway, and Richard channeled his creative energy to inspire
youth and adults in Nome through the Nome Arts Council. He directed
more than three dozen plays, including ``The Sound of Music,'' ``Music
Man,'' and ``Fiddler on the Roof,'' and inspired generations in the
community to appreciate the stage.
Ever the showman, Richard was a tireless ambassador for Nome and
Arctic tourism. He founded Nome Discovery Tours in 1994, and he never
missed an opportunity to promote Nome and the surrounding region and
its rich history. Watching him entertain a tour group with tales of
Nome's early gold mining days, while he demonstrated how to pan for
gold, audience captivated, was a real treasure.
For the past 4\1/2\ years, he served as mayor of Nome, and there was
no better cheerleader for this remote community. Some of my colleagues
may recall running into him in the halls of the Hart and Dirksen
Buildings, wearing his signature ``Hello Central' knit hat, a Port of
Nome, vest and always sporting his I love Nome! button. Never shy,
Richard would greet Senators, staff, and visitors alike, quickly asking
them how their day was and what they were up to as he worked the halls
and made new friends. His friendly banter and genuine interest in
people was refreshing in an environment all too often filled with
hustle and tension.
For those of you who have never had the fortune to visit Nome, there
are only three ways to get there from Anchorage--airplane, boat, and
dog sled. Nome is 2000 miles closer to the North Pole than to New York
City, and in 2016 when the Crystal Serenity called on the Port of Nome
during its maiden voyage from Seward to Manhattan, the mayor was there
to greet these intrepid Arctic adventurers. I had the privilege to
travel with Richard to many Arctic conferences, and it was a joy to
watch as he shared his vision for Arctic tourism and a positive future
for this fascinating and challenging part of the world.
The mayor was a passionate champion of the Iditarod and I last saw
him on Saturday, March 7, in Anchorage at the ceremonial start of the
race. He had just been released from the hospital, having persuaded his
doctors and nurses that the ``show must go on'' to be there for the
festivities.
He loved people, the arts, flowers, and above all, Nome to the end.
His passing is a true loss for my State. I will miss his boundless
enthusiasm and his trademark greeting to all he ran into, ``Hello
Central!''
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