Capitol Words a project of the Sunlight Foundation

Sen. Ben Nelson

Mr. President, today I wish to pay tribute to a good friend who can quite aptly be called a gentleman and a scholar, as well as one very likeable person who touched the lives of many of my fellow Nebraskans. Charles M. ``Chuck'' Pallesen, Jr., passed away on November 26, 2011, at the age of 74.

First and foremost a loving husband and father, Chuck married his college sweetheart, Lorraine Sysel; and two sons, Mike and Ed, together with their families, blessed this union. He was also a former Boy Scout; a U.S. Army veteran who served in the Judge Advocate General's Corps; and a partner for more than 40 years in a successful law practice--Cline Williams Wright Johnson & Oldfather, L.L.P.--specializing in health care and business law.

Chuck was one of the most active people in civic and political matters that I have ever met. He was engaged in the Nebraska efforts of every Presidential campaign from John F. Kennedy to Barack Obama. He was a key adviser not only to me, but also to former Nebraska Governors and Senators Jim Exon and Bob Kerrey.

Yet Chuck was so much more than his resume. A good friend of his, Gerry Finnegan, said recently that:

Chuck was at his best, both professionally and politically, lodged between disagreeing parties coaxing them to resolve their conflict--a masterful mediator blessed with an innate sense of how much ground each adversary could give and how hard he could push for a resolution.

This ability, combined with an outgoing personality and a keen eye for details, made him invaluable to Senators Exon, Kerrey, and myself.

Always a very busy guy, Chuck and a colleague, former Judge Samuel Van Pelt, Jr., had been in the process of authoring a book about Senator Exon. Chuck spoke to me several times, both for and about his upcoming book. Those interviews were extremely enjoyable, and I looked forward to every opportunity to walk down memory lane and swap stories about ``Big Jim,'' one of the greatest Nebraskans to ever serve my home State. Chuck's untimely passing has made me look forward even more to reading his labor of love when it is published, and when I do, I will be remembering not only the great J. James Exon, but Charles Pallesen, Jr., as well--on every page and throughout every chapter.

In closing, Chuck Pallesen was a man who will be missed by all who knew him and remembered as an individual who served his community, State and country well. A true statesman, we are all the better for Chuck's countless contributions, his enthusiasm, his dedication, and most of all, his compassion. He was truly a giant among men.