Floor SpeechCeremonial2026-02-26

REMEMBERING WALTER JEROME "JERRY" FRAUTSCHI

HealthcareEnvironmentCrime & Justice

Context

On 2026-02-26, Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) delivered a floor speech titled "REMEMBERING WALTER JEROME "JERRY" FRAUTSCHI" in the Senate. The speech addressed healthcare and also covered the environment, crime and justice. It referenced legislation including S702, S703.

Full Text

REMEMBERING WALTER JEROME "JERRY" FRAUTSCHI

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 38 (Thursday, February 26, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 38 (Thursday, February 26, 2026)] [Senate] [Pages S702-S703] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] REMEMBERING WALTER JEROME ``JERRY'' FRAUTSCHI Ms. BALDWIN. Mr. President, today I rise to recognize the life and legacy of Walter Jerome ``Jerry'' Frautschi. Jerry was a lifelong Madisonian, a successful businessman, and a remarkable philanthropist. Born in Madison in 1931, Jerry served honorably in the U.S. Navy as a code breaker during the Korean conflict from 1951 to 1954. Later, he attended the University of Wisconsin--Madison, graduating in 1956. Alongside his brother John, he ran the family business Webcrafters and continued the family tradition of service and philanthropy within their community. Jerry was devoted to his family--his three sons, four grandchildren, and wife Pleasant Rowland--were the center of his world. He enjoyed tennis and golf with childhood friends and spending days sailing, fishing, swimming, and skating on Lake Mendota and at his family cottage on Pine Lake in northern Wisconsin. Jerry's commitment to the arts was unmatched, and he and Pleasant were often found at musical and theatrical performances. He made one of the largest single donations to the arts in U.S. history, giving a $205 million gift to establish and build the Overture Center for the Arts in downtown Madison. He made a $20 million gift to the Madison Youth Arts Center Starlight Theater, a $2 million gift to the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestra's Center for Music, and contributed to the arts in so many other ways throughout the years. His generosity extended far beyond the arts, giving $37.1 million for the Wisconsin History Center currently being developed on Wisconsin's Capitol Square, where generations of Wisconsinites will learn about their history. Jerry gave widely to schools, hospitals, student centers, community colleges, civic organizations, and environmental groups. Jerry's own words are inscribed in the Overture Center's rotunda and they [[Page S703]] read: ``Overture Center, my gift to Madison, continues the tradition of civic pride and responsibility that my family has honored since 1867. It is given in appreciation of the good life Madison has given us.'' I join Jerry's family and friends in celebration and remembrance of his remarkable life and impact. His philanthropy had a truly transformative impact on his hometown of Madison, and throughout Wisconsin, and will continue to live on as an enduring legacy. ____________________

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REMEMBERING WALTER JEROME "JERRY" FRAUTSCHI Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 38 (Thursday, February 26, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 38 (Thursday, February 26, 2026)] [Senate] [Pages S702-S703] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] REMEMBERING WALTER JEROME ``JERRY'' FRAUTSCHI Ms. BALDWIN. Mr. President, today I rise to recognize the life and legacy of Walter Jerome ``Jerry'' Frautschi. Jerry was a lifelong Madisonian, a successful businessman, and a remarkable philanthropist. Born in Madison in 1931, Jerry served honorably in the U.S. Navy as a code breaker during the Korean conflict from 1951 to 1954. Later, he attended the University of Wisconsin--Madison, graduating in 1956. Alongside his brother John, he ran the family business Webcrafters and continued the family tradition of service and philanthropy within their community. Jerry was devoted to his family--his three sons, four grandchildren, and wife Pleasant Rowland--were the center of his world. He enjoyed tennis and golf with childhood friends and spending days sailing, fishing, swimming, and skating on Lake Mendota and at his family cottage on Pine Lake in northern Wisconsin. Jerry's commitment to the arts was unmatched, and he and Pleasant were often found at musical and theatrical performances. He made one of the largest single donations to the arts in U.S. history, giving a $205 million gift to establish and build the Overture Center for the Arts in downtown Madison. He made a $20 million gift to the Madison Youth Arts Center Starlight Theater, a $2 million gift to the Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestra's Center for Music, and contributed to the arts in so many other ways throughout the years. His generosity extended far beyond the arts, giving $37.1 million for the Wisconsin History Center currently being developed on Wisconsin's Capitol Square, where generations of Wisconsinites will learn about their history. Jerry gave widely to schools, hospitals, student centers, community colleges, civic organizations, and environmental groups. Jerry's own words are inscribed in the Overture Center's rotunda and they [[Page S703]] read: ``Overture Center, my gift to Madison, continues the tradition of civic pride and responsibility that my family has honored since 1867. It is given in appreciation of the good life Madison has given us.'' I join Jerry's family and friends in celebration and remembrance of his remarkable life and impact. His philanthropy had a truly transformative impact on his hometown of Madison, and throughout Wisconsin, and will continue to live on as an enduring legacy. ____________________