Thanking Mary Howard for a Lifetime of Public Service
THANKING MARY HOWARD FOR A LIFETIME OF PUBLIC SERVICE -- (House of Representatives - November 19, 2004)
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the gentleman from South Carolina (Mr. Wilson) is recognized for 5 minutes.
Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to thank one of South Carolina's finest ladies, Mary Talbert Howard, for her lifetime of public service.
Mary will conclude her full-time service to the people of South Carolina when she retires at the end of this year. Active in the Lexington, South Carolina, community since 1973, Mary served with my predecessor and mentor, the late Congressman Floyd D. Spence. In 2001, she graciously agreed to stay on as the District Director for the Second Congressional District of South Carolina.
A native of Hartsville in Darlington County, South Carolina, Mary attended the Hartsville schools, Limestone College and graduated from the University of South Carolina with a BA in education. She began her employment with the late Congressman Floyd Spence in 1981, after successfully serving as Spence for Congress campaign office manager, and she became District Director in 1992. Her responsibilities included representing the Congressman at all events throughout the Second Congressional District, handling of all constituent concerns, meeting with the local and State government officials and attending all local and State civic group meetings.
Mary has been active in the Lexington Women's Club since 1973 and served in many of the officer positions, including president. She also served as district and State legislative chairman for the State Federation of Women's Clubs.
Mary has also served as president of the Riverbanks Zoo Society, as an active member of the Lexington Medical Center Board, as Corresponding Secretary of Friends of the Lexington County Museum, and as a board member of the Lexington Arts Association.
She has been a delegate to the State and county Republican convention since 1980.
Mary is a member of St. Peter's Lutheran Church, where she served on the Worship and Music Committee and is a former Sunday schoolteacher.
Mary is married to Jerry Howard, and they have three children: G.G. Howard Culpepper, Melissa Howard Henshaw and Amy Talbert Howard. She also has two grandchildren, Cate and Jerrod.
In all the years that I have worked with Mary, she has always served with grace and dignity, and I have been extremely honored to have her represent me these last 3 years. She will always be a close, personal friend of the Wilson family, and Roxanne and I wish her and her husband Jerry all the best in their future.
I ask all of my colleagues to join me in thanking Mary Howard for her commitment to serving her community with excellence.
In conclusion, God bless our troops; and we will never forget September 11.