[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 57 (Tuesday, March 28, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S4683]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[[Page S4683]]
                    RECOGNITION OF INAH MAE ABRAMSON

  Mr. HEFLIN. Mr. President, we all know those special people who just 
seem to epitomize selfless devotion and service to others. They 
cheerfully go about helping others in numerous ways that help to 
brighten countless lives, asking for nothing in return.
  One such woman is Inah Mae Abramson, of Florence, AL, who was the 
subject of a recent article in her local newspaper. I ask unanimous 
consent that a copy of the article, which appeared in the Florence 
TimesDaily, be printed in the Record after my remarks.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it so ordered.
  (See exhibit 1.)
  Mr. HEFLIN. I want to commend and congratulate Inah Mae Abramson for 
the hard work, love of people, generous spirit, and genuine concern she 
always displays through service to those around her. She truly is a 
living example of civility, dedication, affection, and love.
                               Exhibit 1

                  [From the Florence (AL) TimesDaily]

  Work That's Never Done: Abramson Believes in Putting Herself Last, 
                      Doing Good Deeds For Others

                          (By Lucille Prince)

       The old saying ``Man may work from sun to sun, but women's 
     work is never done'' still applies to Inah Mae Abramson, even 
     though she retired 28 years ago.
       When she is not busy in her office at home, she's out 
     visiting the sick, the elderly or people in nursing homes 
     working at the community center or attending a church 
     meeting.
       One of her pet projects is sending ``sunshine cards,'' and 
     she keeps an assortment of cards on hand. She has special 
     cards that are sold by the United Methodist Women of Wesley 
     Chapel, with proceeds going to missions. She is the 
     secretary-treasurer of the historic cemetery located at 
     Wesley Chapel.
       A charter member of the Florence Business and Professional 
     Women's club, she has served the club as president, 
     secretary, treasurer, district director and member of the 
     state board. For six years, she was chairman of the BPW Santa 
     Claus, securing gifts for mental hospitals.
       Abramson was once head of a BPW fund to secure a piano, 
     stereo and speaker stand for Mitchell-Hollingsworth Annex. 
     This was accomplished when Dr. C.F. Lucky made a memorial for 
     his mother toward purchase of a piano. The club simply 
     completed this project.
       During World War II, she wrote regularly to all men from 
     her church and places of employment who were in service, and 
     she sent them small gifts.
       ``I love to do things for people,'' Abramson said. ``My 
     parents, James Emmett and Annie B. Darby Young, were 
     Christians. Mama said that if you do other people good and 
     put yourself last, you'll come out on top.''
       The various awards Abramson has received indicate that she 
     listened to her mother.
       In 1960, the Florence Business and Professional Women's 
     Club named her Women of the Year.
       In 1967, she received the first Special Citizen Award 
     presented by the Muscle Shoals Chamber of Commerce. The award 
     was given on Nov. 14, 1967, just 10 days before her marriage 
     to Henry Benhart Abramson. The chamber president at that time 
     was the late Dick Biddle.
       In presenting the award, Biddle said, ``Miss Young, soon to 
     be Mrs. Abramson, gives unselfishly to others each day of her 
     life. She lives and appreciates people. Her family and 
     friends know they can call on her anytime,
      and she is never too busy to help anyone in need. Realizing 
     this, Gov. (George) Wallace chose her to serve as chairman 
     of the Women's Division of Lauderdale County on the State 
     Traffic Commission.'' (The purpose of the commission was 
     to make motorists more aware of traffic rules.)
       In 1987, she was named Alumnus of the Year by the Central 
     High Alumni Association.
       Abramson was once given the title ``Miss Methodism'' by a 
     district Methodist newspaper. This honor came because she was 
     volunteer secretary for three district superintendents before 
     the Florence District opened a full-time office.
       A history enthusiast, Abramson has been a student of 
     history all of her life. She likes to keep up with the 
     current events, which, she reminds everyone, will soon become 
     history.
       She attended Beulah Elementary School, and was salutatorian 
     when she finished Central High School in 1936.
       ``I decided on a business career and attended Bob Jones 
     University, then located at Cleveland, Tenn.,'' she said. 
     ``My first job was with my cousins, Murphy Brothers Store in 
     Central Heights. I later worked for one year at the county 
     agent's office, then worked another year for W.D. Peeler, 
     registrar at the courthouse.''
       In 1939, she accepted a job at First National Bank and 
     worked there until 1945, the year that many men returned from 
     World War II. She left the bank to operate Blue Bird Ice 
     Cream and Sandwich Shop for one year.
       ``In November 1947, I was employed by Florence Clinic as 
     secretary to a group of 11 physicians and remained there 
     until October 1967,'' she said.
       She vividly remembers that when the Sabine Vaccine Program 
     was begun in Lauderdale County, Dr. J.G. Middleton was 
     chairman. As an employee of the Florence Clinic, she became 
     his assistant in setting up and promoting the vaccine 
     program.
       ``My job was to help him set up places and times to give 
     out the vaccine and to let people know that it was free,'' 
     she said. ``Since I was a member of the BPW Club, I solicited 
     the club's help in promoting this cause.''
       She recalled that during the years she was with the bank 
     and clinic, there were few electrical machines.
       ``There were no electric typewriters, and computers were 
     unknown,'' she said.
       ``About that time, Florence was just emerging into 
     growth,'' she added. ``Working in the bank, I knew all the 
     attorneys in Florence at that time. Being in the customer-
     service department gave me a chance to know most of the 
     patrons of the bank. In the 1940s, bank statements had not 
     caught on, and patrons brought their passbooks in to get 
     employees to balance their bank books for them.''
       When she married at age 49, she gave up her professional 
     career.
       ``I just started another career,'' she said.
       Her husband was also an ardent church and community worker. 
     As a couple, they spent much time and effort serving both the 
     church and their community. He was one of the planners and 
     board members of the Central Volunteer Fire Department, and 
     she served as secretary.
       Abramson said that she and her husband had 19 happy years 
     before his death Oct. 24, 1986. She still lives in their home 
     at Central, and she says that she is blessed with wonderful 
     neighbors and family who are constantly with her.
       Wesley Chapel and Central will always have special meaning 
     to Abramson. She was born in the Central Heights community 
     Feb. 16, 1918. She became a part of the church when her 
     parents took her to a service there at age three weeks. She 
     became a member in 1929, when the church was a part of the 
     Cloverdale Charge of three churches and another added later. 
     She was the charge recorder for many years. When she returned 
     from college, she became active as a teacher, youth 
     counselor, treasurer and a member of the United Methodist 
     Women, then called the Woman's Missionary Society. She was 
     district counselor of youth subdistrict events and secretary 
     of the district Christian Workers School.
       One of her former employers once introduced Inah Mae 
     Abramson as ``a person who not only performs her work 
     efficiently, with cheerfulness and zeal, but she always has a 
     smile on her face and exemplifies a truly dedicated Christian 
     woman whose work is never done.''
     

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