E1644 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks November 20, 2014 All so with your families you may break this Rockford, Illinois, which provides treatment for Outside of the courtroom, Alice Lee was bread substance abuse and mental health disorders, very active in the United Methodist Church. In And what their selfless sacrifice has so said including PTSD, and gives veterans of the fact, she was the first female to lead the Ala- Who for all our freedom paid bama-West Florida Conference delegation to All throughout the generations the ones who U.S. armed forces priority admission status. I gave am incredibly proud to represent men and the church’s general conference. She appro- And be thankful women, like Diana, who selflessly serve our priately has an award named in her honor that Be thankful for our freedom so very bright nation’s veterans and their families. is presented to other women who have shown Be thankful for all of these heroes who Today, I am honored to join with the mem- a commitment to God and leadership. fought the fight bers of the Clifford E. Johnson VFW Ladies As the years went by, on occasion I would Who all so live and died in valor’s light Auxiliary and the VFW Post to honor Diana’s stop by Monroeville to say hello to Ms. Lee All out across the deep blue seas many accomplishments and her election as and catch up. She was just the kind of person Who all gave so selflessly President. Over 21,000 women are members that you enjoyed being around. And now lie all in deep dark quiet graves of the Ladies Auxiliary VFW in Illinois and it is Sadly, on November 17, Alice Lee died at Showing us all how to behave the age of 103. No one will ever be able to fill Whose families still cry still this day a testament to Diana’s character and commit- Who live all in the kind of pain only Heaven ment to be chosen as their leader. Mr. Speak- her shoes as a true trailblazer and student of can allay er, on behalf of the 16th District of Illinois, I the law. Retired minister Thomas Lane Butts Until they are all reunited one fine day wish to express our sincere thanks for all of of Monroeville put it best when he said, So be thankful to all those who gave the hard work Diana and all the women of the ‘‘Whenever there was a question in the com- All of their strong arms and legs Ladies Auxiliary VFW have done for our vet- munity that no one could answer, the saying Who must now live without them each day erans and our community and to congratulate was, ‘Go ask Miss Alice. Her death is like the And gave their eyesight away closing of a great library.’ ’’ Who’ll not see another beautiful sunrise Diana Rudeen on her well-deserved leader- ship position. Mr. Speaker, I know I join with countless today others throughout Monroeville and the state of And be thankful for all those who carry the f scars of war Alabama in sharing our condolences with the Who with PTS no longer sleep peacefully HONORING JORDAN J. O’BRIEN family of Alice Lee. She will be deeply missed. anymore f And as you look upon your children’s faces HON. SAM GRAVES And see all of their warm smiles in place this HONORING MRS. BONITA M. HER- OF MISSOURI RING, INTERNATIONAL GRAND Remember, remember, remember to say in IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES your grace this BASILEUS OF SIGMA GAMMA A prayer for all those children with tears Thursday, November 20, 2014 RHO SORORITY, INC. upon their faces Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I Because their mommies or daddies aren’t proudly pause to recognize Jordan J. O’Brien. HON. BOBBY L. RUSH coming home no more OF ILLINOIS As each new holiday this heartache they Jordan is a very special young man who has must endure exemplified the finest qualities of citizenship IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES And all those families separated by distance and leadership by taking an active part in the Thursday, November 20, 2014 Boy Scouts of America, Troop 1261, and earn- and war Mr. RUSH. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratu- Who on this Thanksgiving Day each other so ing the most prestigious award of Eagle Scout. late and honor, Mrs. Bonita M. Herring on the long for Jordan has been very active with his troop, occasion of her re-election as the 24th Inter- And all they ask participating in many scout activities. Over the national Grand Basileus of Sigma Gamma Is for your thanks to stand by them all many years Jordan has been involved with Rho Sorority, Inc. Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority steadfast scouting, he has not only earned numerous Be thankful this Thanksgiving Day, Inc. is a leading international, non-profit com- merit badges, but also the respect of his fam- for all of their most precious gifts the Armed munity service organization founded by seven ily, peers, and community. Most notably, Jor- Forces and families gave African American educators November 12, dan has contributed to his community through And on this Thanksgiving sitting around the 1922, on the campus of Butler University in In- table his Eagle Scout project. You, this Thanksgiving you for all our free- Mr. Speaker, I ask you to join me in com- dianapolis, Indiana. The mission of Sigma Gamma Rho is to en- doms so bright mending Jordan J. O’Brien for his accomplish- hance the quality of life within the community thankful for our freedom so bright, ments with the Boy Scouts of America and for through public service, leadership develop- be thankful for all of those heroes who fight his efforts put forth in achieving the highest the fight ment, and the education of youth. With more distinction of Eagle Scout. f than 500 chapters in the United States, Ber- f muda, Virgin Islands, Germany, and Korea, CONGRATULATING DIANA RUDEEN REMEMBERING THE LIFE OF Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. has grown ALICE LEE tremendously in Sisterhood, Scholarship, and HON. ADAM KINZINGER Service. OF ILLINOIS HON. BRADLEY BYRNE Mrs. Herring embodies the highest ideals of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. She has IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF ALABAMA served her community locally, regionally, and Thursday, November 20, 2014 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES nationally with vigor and grace for over 40 Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I Thursday, November 20, 2014 years. Mrs. Herring’s leadership and inter- rise today to honor Diana Rudeen who was Mr. BYRNE. Mr. Speaker, there are some personal skills are unparalleled. She has elected President of the Department of Illinois’ people you encounter in life who are just truly served on a myriad of boards, such as the Ladies Auxiliary Veterans of Foreign Wars on remarkable individuals. The first time I met Southeast Chamber of Commerce of Illinois June 14, 2014. Alice Lee from Monroe County, Alabama, I and the National Coalition of Black Meeting Diana joined the Ladies Auxiliary VFW in could tell she was one of them. Planners, and as Director of Recruitment for 1992 to honor her father, James Contizano, As a newly minted lawyer, I had to travel to the College of Education at Chicago State who served in the United States Army during Monroeville, Alabama, to work on a legal mat- University. the Korean War. Over the course of more than ter with a local lawyer by the name of Alice As the newly re-elected International Grand twenty years of service to the Ladies Auxiliary Lee. Ms. Lee was not just any lawyer though. Basileus, Mrs. Herring represents the highest VFW, Diana has served as the Junior Vice As one of the few women who practiced law ideals of Sigma Gamma Rho which is encap- President and President of the Clifford E. John in Alabama before World War II, she was sulated in the words of their motto: ‘‘Greater Post in Loves Park, Illinois. quite a dynamic figure. Service, Greater Progress.’’ Mrs. Herring also As a veteran, I especially appreciate Diana’s She was an expert of the law and incredibly served as the 22nd International First Grand special commitment to helping veterans cop- gracious to me. When she spoke on matters Anti-Basileus from 2008–2012 and as Execu- ing with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder of the law, people listened. She continued to tive Director of the sorority for 23 years. She (PTSD), Traumatic Brain Injury, addiction, and actively practice law until after her 100th Birth- is the only Soror of Sigma Gamma Rho to homelessness. As her special project she has day, making her the oldest practicing attorney hold the distinction of serving as both Execu- chosen the Rosecrance Treatment Center in in Alabama history. tive Director and International Grand Basileus. VerDate Sep 11 2014 07:19 Nov 21, 2014 Jkt 049060 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 0626 Sfmt 9920 E:\CR\FM\K20NO8.011 E20NOPT1 emcdonald on DSK67QTVN1PROD with REMARKS November 20, 2014 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E1645 Mr. Speaker, Mrs. Herring is the recipient of Since 2007, Mr. Papageorge has served as excess of forty years, and has helped lead a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from the the Deputy Program Manager for In-Service Ohio through tumultuous times into recovery University of Illinois-Chicago and a Masters of Aircraft Carriers (PMS 312) at the Program and growth. In 1967 after graduating from The Arts degree in Communications and Training Executive Office for Aircraft Carriers in the Ohio State University College of Law, he from Governors State University.