[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 133 (Wednesday, September 21, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: September 21, 1994]



                        TRIBUTE TO CLYDE BARBOUR

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I rise today to recognize a brilliant 
Kentucky entrepreneur, Clyde Barbour, who passed away August 9, 1994. 
Mr. Barbour owned a chain of grocery stores in Maysville, Kentucky, and 
Aberdeen and Ripley, Ohio, and was involved with many other business 
and real estate endeavors in northern Kentucky and Ohio.
  Mr. Barbour opened his first grocery store in 1960 in Maysville. He 
took great pride in saying his business career began at the age of 10 
by hauling groceries home for customers. He was paid 10 cents per load. 
Today his four stores are known as Clyde's Super-Valu and are being 
managed by his sons.
  The citizens of Maysville and the surrounding area will forever 
remember Mr. Barbour as a great supporter and promoter of the 
community. In 1983, Mr. Barbour was responsible for the first Maysville 
Exposition and Trade Fair. The 4-day event included appearances by 
several well-known performers, as well as prominent State and local 
officials. The purpose of the exposition was to promote Maysville's 
businesses and their products. More than 85,000 people came to the 
first event at Mr. Barbour's tobacco warehouse, and three more fairs 
followed.
  Mr. Barbour enjoyed watching the growth of Maysville, and spent much 
of his time and money promoting new developments that would lead to 
more jobs and improved economic stability for the community. Mr. 
Barbour also had a hand in numerous local projects, including the 
Meadowview Regional Hospital, the YMCA, an industrial park, and 
development of a new bridge over the Ohio River.
  On Friday, August 12, 1994, at a small funeral home in Maysville, 
friends and family gathered in great numbers to pay their last respects 
to Clyde Barbour. The funeral will be remembered as one of the largest 
in recent history. Mr. Barbour died at the age of 63 and is survived by 
1 sister, 2 brothers, 2 daughters, 7 sons, and 12 grandchildren.
  The citizens of Maysville are forever indebted to Clyde Barbour for 
his civic involvement and his efforts to improve the region. Mr. 
Barbour was a friend to all of Maysville and will be missed.
  Mr. President, please include my comments and the following article 
from the Kentucky Post in today's Record.
  There being no objection, the article was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                [From the Kentucky Post, Aug. 18, 1994]

             No One Loved Maysville More Than Clyde Barbour

                            (By Jack Hicks)

       Maysville.--Not everyone who lives in Maysville and 
     neighboring Aberdeen, Ohio, turned out to pay their respects 
     to Clyde Barbour.
       It just seemed like they did. The scene at Trinity United 
     Methodist Church resembled a state funeral Thursday as about 
     1,000 area residents passed by the casket of the popular 
     grocer and entrepreneur.
       Funeral directors said it may have been the largest crowd 
     ever to attend a visitation in Mason County. Another large 
     crowd is expected for the funeral today.
       At times the line of mourners spilled out of the church and 
     stretched for more than half a block. Entrance and exit lines 
     were set up to keep the crowd moving. Flower arrangements 
     were everywhere, overflowing into the vestibule and front 
     porch.
       ``If anyone ever deserved this, he did,'' said Georgia 
     Flora, a longtime friend.
       The community's esteem for Barbour, who died Tuesday at age 
     63, was based on his record as a successful businessman, but 
     mostly for his civic involvement and commitment to Maysville.
       ``You can't drive through Maysville without seeing 
     something that he had something to do with,'' said Barbour's 
     nephew, Jim Barbour.
       Meadowview Regional Hospital. The YMCA. An industrial park 
     and the beginnings of a new bridge over the Ohio River. Each 
     one had Clyde Barbour's help one way or another.
       ``He was the most powerful man around here at getting 
     something done,'' said Barbour's son-in-law, Bob Sapp.
       David Cartmell described Barbour as ``the king of 
     promoters.''
       ``He was the only person around here who did any 
     promoting,'' Cartmell said. ``He did all right for himself, 
     and then he helped others.''
       Maysville City Manager Dennis Redmond said, ``He was more 
     pleased at the progress in this community than he was by his 
     own success. I truly believe that.''
       Barbour was a successful businessman. He operated four 
     supermarkets--two in Maysville and one each in Aberdeen and 
     Ripley, Ohio--and owned or was associated with various other 
     business and real estate endeavors.
       His empire began with a little red wagon when Barbour was 
     12 years old.
       Mildred Trisler recalls Barbour waiting outside a grocery 
     store with the wagon and taking people's purchases home or to 
     their cars for 25 cents. Money earned with the wagon 
     eventually helped Barbour buy his first grocery.
       Barbour drew attention to himself and to Maysville by his 
     promotions. The best known was his Expo in 1983, when he 
     attracted thousands of visitors to a tobacco warehouse he 
     owned. Entertainers such as the Beach Boys and Charlie 
     Daniels performed, and business people were able to display 
     the area's products. Three other Expos followed.
       ``He gave the people of this county the opportunity to see 
     things they never had a chance to see before,'' said 
     haberdasher Omer Case.
       The Expos cost Barbour a great deal of money, friends and 
     relatives said, but he felt doing something for his community 
     was worth it.
       Barbour was known as a soft touch when people were in need. 
     When a Maysville area team was playing in a state tournament, 
     he delighted in hosting hometown fans with lavish parties.
       Other than his community and his businesses, Barbour didn't 
     have too many hobbies, He did enjoy stock car racing, and he 
     had tickets for a big race in Indianapolis last weekend. Too 
     ill to attend, he watched it on television two days before 
     his death.
       ``He wanted to keep going to see that race,'' Sapp said. 
     ``His favorite driver, Jeff Gordon won, and he said to me, 
     `What do you think of my boy?'''
       With his stores, promotions and up-front efforts for the 
     community, Barbour was one of the Maysville area's most 
     familiar figures.
       ``Everybody knew Clyde, and everybody is going to miss 
     him,'' Jim Barbour said.

                          ____________________