HOUSE MEMORIAL 98-1003
BY REPRESENTATIVES Taylor,
K. Alexander, C. Berry, G. Berry, Dyer, George,
Miller, Smith, Sullivant, Adkins, Agler, Allen, Anderson, Arrington,
Bacon, Chavez, Clarke, Dean, Entz, Epps, Faatz, Gordon, Gotlieb,
Grampsas, Grossman, Hagedorn, Hefley, S. Johnson, June, Kaufman,
Keller, Kreutz, Lawrence, Leyba, Mace, May, McElhany, McPherson,
Morrison, Musgrave, Nichol, Owen, Pankey, Paschall, Pfiffner,
Reeser, Romero, Salaz, Saliman, Schauer, Sinclair, Snyder, Spradley,
Swenson, Takis, Tate, Tool, Tucker, Tupa, Udall, Veiga, S. Williams,
T. Williams, Young, and Zimmerman.
WHEREAS, By the Will of Divine Providence, our former
member, the Honorable Bill Gossard, departed this life on November
14, 1997, at the age of 83; and
WHEREAS, Bill Gossard was born on December 6, 1913,
in Chicago, Illinois, and later was a secondgeneration Colorado
rancher; and
WHEREAS, Bill Gossard served his country in the army
in World War II, where he was awarded the Bronze Star, earned
a Member of the British Empire medal from the United Kingdom,
and was cited by King Olaf of Norway for outstanding assistance
in the resistance effort; and
WHEREAS, Bill Gossard moved to the Craig, Colorado,
area in 1950, where he managed the 33,000acre Gossard ranch
for 32 years; and
WHEREAS, Bill Gossard served his community and the state of Colorado for many years as a member of the Chamber of Commerce, the Board of Supervisors of the Yampa Soil Conservation District, the Colorado Water Congress, the Colorado River Water Users Association,
the Colorado Wheat Administrative Committee, and
the Colorado Wheat Advisory Committee, as the President of the
Yellow Jacket Water Conservancy District, and was appointed by
Governor John Love to represent Colorado on the Upper Colorado
River Compact Commission consisting of Utah, New Mexico, Arizona,
Wyoming, and Colorado; and
WHEREAS, Representative Gossard was elected to serve
in the Colorado House of Representatives in 1960 where he served
four terms of office; and
WHEREAS, As a member of the House of Representatives,
Representative Gossard served as chairman of the House State Affairs
committee as well as serving on the Agriculture, Livestock, and
Natural Resources committee, the Transportation and Highways committee,
and chairing the Highway Users Tax Fund Committee and the Committee
on the Criminally Insane; and
WHEREAS, In 1970, Representative Gossard was the
Republican candidate for the United States House of Representatives
for the 4th Congressional District; and
WHEREAS, Following a 1982 move to Denver, Bill Gossard
served on the board of the Central City Opera House Association
where he played a significant role in its recovery and success,
for which he was designated chairman emeritus by the board of
directors when he retired; and
WHEREAS, Bill Gossard served as a trustee for the
Denver Symphony Association and served as a board member when
it became the Colorado Symphony Orchestra in 1992; and
WHEREAS, Bill Gossard served on the steering committee
for the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District and was an
influence in getting the bill passed by the Metro District electorate.
He supported many other cultural organizations, including the
Colorado Symphony Association, the Central City Opera Association,
the Heritage Society of the Colorado Historical Society, and the
National Wildflower Center; and
WHEREAS, In the death of Bill Gossard, the people
of the state of Colorado have lost an outstanding citizen and
a devoted public servant; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives
of the Sixtyfirst General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
That we, the members of the Colorado House of Representatives,
hereby pay tribute to Bill Gossard for his contributions to the
people of the state of Colorado whom he served well and faithfully.
Be It Further Resolved, That
a copy of this Memorial be sent to Representative Gossard's wife
Carol and his sister Gloria Gossard.
_________________________ _________________________
Judith M. Rodrigue Charles E. Berry
CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE
OF REPRESENTATIVES OF REPRESENTATIVES