[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 97 (Thursday, June 27, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1197-E1198]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        A TRIBUTE TO ED POSHARD

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. GLENN POSHARD

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 27, 1996

  Mr. POSHARD. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay special tribute to my 
brother Ed Poshard who is retiring on July 31 after 36 years of service 
with State Farm Insurance Co.
  Throughout my entire life, my brother has been a great inspiration to 
me, having given me the benefit of his love and wisdom since I was a 
small boy. I could not begin to count the benefits that have accrued to 
me over my lifetime as a result of my brother's influence on my life.
  Some of my earliest memories as a child was Ed getting up at 4 a.m., 
still in his teens, packing a lunch bucket and heading out over ice 
slickened roads to work in the oil fields. Whatever money he made, he 
shared with the family, especially with my sister Jolene and me, who 
were still young and in school. Going into Norris City with him every 
Saturday morning, getting a burr haircut at Will Harlow's barber shop, 
and washing his car, always washing his car, for his Saturday night 
date were some of the highlights of my youth. He was my big brother who 
I always looked up to and was always proud of.
  He finished high school, went to college while he was still in the 
Army, sent pictures to our home of far away places, told me in every 
letter to get a good education, and fueled my own dreams of learning 
and contributing to my fellow man.
  But more than the dreams he inspired and the encouragement he gave 
and the wisdom he shared there was something else he gave me that only 
had to be observed. It's called work ethic and it's a little out of 
vogue today. But not with my brother. Ed has worked hard at everything 
he's done. He's worked hard at being a good husband, a good father, a 
good son, and a good brother. And for the folks in this room, he's 
worked really hard at being a good insurance agent. In fact, my brother 
isn't just a good insurance agent, he's a great one. He has lived and 
breathed and loved his work in a way few people ever do. After his 
family,

[[Page E1198]]

his first love has always been selling insurance. Late at night, early 
in the morning, anywhere or anytime a customer had a need, my brother 
would find a way to get there first and make the sale. He never sold 
them more than they required and he never misrepresented what they were 
getting. He worked hard to get their business, he was honest, and 
people came back. He built trust in his family and he built trust in 
his customers and his life has been successful because of it.
  In a very real sense my brother represents the best of what we stand 
for in this country. The old values. The enduring values. Family, 
honesty, hard work. I'm proud of him. I'll always be proud of him. I 
hope his retirement is long and enjoyable and he and Phyllis travel to 
new and exciting places, watch a lot of fall sunsets over the Shawnee, 
and have lots of playtime with their grandbabies. He will always have 
my love and respect. Glenn.

                          ____________________