Mr. Speaker. I am sure we all wish to pause to pay tribute to William Saroyan. author and playwright. who died yesterday at the age of 72. A fascinating individual. Saroyan was born in Fresno. Calif.. the son of poor immigrant Armenian parents. Armenak and Takoohi Saroyan. who had only recently come to the United States. His father. who had been a minister in Armenia. worked in the vineyards in the San Joaquin Valley. He died. however. when William was only 3 years old. Williams mother. penniless. placed him and her other three children in an orphanage. She worked as a maid. saving her money. and 4 years later was able to reunite her family.
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immigrant