Honoring First Lady Hovah Hall Underwood

HONORING FIRST LADY HOVAH HALL UNDERWOOD -- (House of Representatives - October 07, 2004)

(Mrs. CAPITO asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)

Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to mark the passing and honor the life of and contributions of a former first lady of the State of West Virginia, Hovah Hall Underwood. Hovah was a young wife and mother when she and her husband, Cecil, moved into the Governor's mansion in 1956. Cecelia was a toddler, and Craig and Sharon were both born while the family lived in the mansion. She served as a gracious first lady, all the while focusing her energies on the task of raising three very young children.

In 1996 the citizens of West Virginia once again elected Cecil Underwood as Governor, and Hova was once again our First Lady. Building upon a lifelong dedication to the work of Big Brothers/Big Sisters, she always liked to say that this term she focused her energies on all the children of West Virginia. She was the driving force behind new programs to strengthen early learning and volunteerism in our State.

She took seriously the charge to serve others each day of our lives, and her legacy is the many thousands of lives that she touched. Our thoughts today are with Governor Underwood, their children, Cecelia Baker, Craig Underwood and Sharon Underwood, grandchildren Christopher and Coleman Richardson, Mary and Quinton Baker, and Jordan and Myles Underwood.

All West Virginians have indeed lost a very special friend.