Praisner's Death Leaves A Legacy of Fond Memories

Colleagues and Family Praise Council Member

When news came that Montgomery County Council member Don Praisner had died Friday at age 76 after surgery for colon cancer earlier in the week, family members and political colleagues all seemed to have a warm memory to share.

It wasn't until the death of his wife, Marilyn Praisner, in February 2008 that he delved into Montgomery politics as a Democratic candidate for the eastern county seat she had held for 17 years.

What mattered, Praisner said then, was preserving his wife's legacy on issues such as fiscal responsibility and growth that balanced further development with the need for adequate infrastructure.

Council member Duchy Trachtenberg (D-At Large), who considered Marilyn Praisner her mentor and best friend, recalled a conversation she had with Marilyn Praisner over coffee in 2006. The two were talking about the difficulty of careers in politics.

"She told me you need support at home. She said, 'I would never have been able to survive and achieve everything I have these years without a rock at home.' That was who Don was," Trachtenberg said.

Joy Nurmi, who had been chief of staff for Marilyn Praisner for eight years and worked for Don Praisner during his eight months on the council, described him as a quick learner and a quiet man.

"He was a man of few words, but with those few words, he would always say much. What's a shame about all this is that he was starting to really love his work and to feel a great deal of respect for his constituency," she said. "It was great to see him come into that role and love it so quickly."

Even before his last year in politics, Praisner had been active in civic and community organizations. He had been president of CHI Centers, a nonprofit group that provides services to more than 1,000 people with severe disabilities. He was on the board of First Tee of Montgomery County, which taught golf to young children.

In addition to other children Praisner worked with through that organization, he taught his two granddaughters to play golf. One of them, Kaitlin Klump, 13, has become an accomplished golfer, said Praisner's son-in-law, Lee Klump.

As Kaitlin grew up, Klump said, she and her grandfather often played together. Last summer marked a milestone for them when Kaitlin finally beat her grandfather by one stroke.

"He just laughed and told her, 'Go for it,' " said Lee Klump. "He loved teaching kids about golf and life."

In his last public statement, which he wrote before he underwent surgery Jan. 26, Praisner was still advocating for his wife's legacy of care with taxpayers' dollars. He suggested the county should forgo another expensive special election and appoint someone to fill his council seat in the event he did not survive.

His statement also addressed his colleagues in county government and expressed his personal optimism. Here are portions of what he wrote:

"Last May, when I took the oath of office, I had high hopes for serving the people of District 4 and looked forward to carrying on the legacy of leadership, independence and integrity that my wife, Marilyn Praisner, was known for and would have brought to the remainder of her term.

"I am deeply saddened to think that this may not be. I am writing this before undergoing surgery on Monday, Jan. 26, 2009. I have no idea what the outcome of the surgery will be. If you are reading this letter, the outcome was not good. As you can imagine, the news has brought profound pain to my family. This means that the people of our great County and District 4 will have to endure yet more uncertainty. . . .

"I am deeply proud of Montgomery County and its people. I consider myself extremely privileged to have had the opportunity to serve them. Nowhere are there such dedicated people who genuinely care about their community, their neighbors and their families.

"To my Council colleagues, thank you for your tremendous dedication and spirit. I am grateful for the friendship and collegiality that you offered me. You inspired me with your commitment to the people of Montgomery County. To my good friend, Ike Leggett, our steadfast county executive in these uncertain times, I want to offer my deep appreciation. You have stood by my side through this past year. I will not forget any of you.

"I wish you all well in the difficult days ahead, and I want to leave you with this one thought:

"Norman Vincent Peale once said, 'No matter how dark things seem to be or actually are, raise your sights and see possibilities -- always see them, for they're always there.' "

On Tuesday, the Montgomery County Council honored Praisner with a video tribute at the beginning of its regular meeting.

Praisner was to be buried yesterday after services at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Silver Spring.

Council members are planning a more extensive public program honoring Praisner at the beginning of their regular Tuesday meeting next week.