[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 138 (Monday, September 30, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S12009]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO ELIZABETH NOYCE

Ms. SNOWE. Mr. President, a bright light of optimism and 
benevolence in Maine has been extinguished. I rise to express my deep 
sadness and profound sympathies to the family of Elizabeth Noyce, a 
great Mainer and close friend who has left an indelible mark on our 
state and all those whose lives she touched.
  Elizabeth Noyce had achieved an almost legendary status in Maine--a 
goal which ironically would have been the furthest from her mind. She 
was an incredible and unique woman whose tremendous loss is being felt 
throughout the State. I take the floor today to honor the memory of 
this woman who gave so much to the place she loved and asked so little 
in return.
  What makes Betty Noyce special, what endeared her to the people of 
Maine was her humble, unassuming style and unwavering commitment to a 
better future. Her generosity was born not of a quest for notoriety, 
but from a deep and genuine devotion to our State. A close friend said 
it simply and said it best: ``Maine was her passion.''
  Elizabeth Noyce did not grow up in Maine--nor did she grow up in 
luxury. But as so often happens during life's long journey, turns in 
the road brought her to Maine--and Betty's love affair with the State 
kept her there. And although she came to acquire money, she never lost 
sight of the things that are really important--family, friends, and a 
commitment to leaving the world a better place for having lived in it.
  Betty Noyce has left our world, but her incredible legacy will be 
forever. She donated millions of dollars to Maine hospitals, museums, 
and colleges--but for Betty, simply writing a check was little payment 
on what she felt she owed to her adopted home. She also provided energy 
and leadership to a host of civic, cultural, and State organizations--
but even more importantly, she gave us pride in our place and hope for 
a better future. Her enthusiasm was contagious--she made you believe in 
a project and believe in yourself. Betty invested more than money--she 
invested her time and her spirit and her energy. She was never a 
distant figure behind wrought iron gates-- instead, she was a figure at 
the local diner, just an ordinary person taking a break from performing 
extraordinary deeds.
  Indeed, practically every aspect of Maine's society--from business, 
to health care, education, arts and culture--was touched and enriched 
by her generosity. Consider what she has given just within the past 
couple of years: $3 million toward the Barbara Bush Children's Hospital 
at Maine Medical Center. $10,000 to help finance a gun buyback program 
conducted by the Portland Police Department. $1.3 million to the 
Cumberland County Civic Center to fund improvements and preserve its 
public name. $5 million to the University of Maine; and exceptional art 
works to the Portland Museum of Art.

  Most importantly, she worked to create jobs, burnish the economies of 
Portland and the entire State, and make Maine a better place to live, 
work, and raise a family.
  In recent years, Betty increasingly turned to what she called 
catalytic philanthropy. She measured the potential success of a project 
in terms of how many jobs would result and how much Maine would be 
improved. She knew that Mainers--proud and fiercely independent--want 
most of all to work and have the sense of self-worth and self-
sufficiency that come with an honest day's effort.
  Some of her projects that put people to work include: Starting a bank 
dedicated to local investors and savers; buying struggling office 
buildings; purchasing a local bakery--Nissen Baking--that employed over 
300 workers; announcing plans for 24,000-square-foot public market in 
underprivileged area of Portland; unveiling plans for L.L. Bean to open 
factory store in a former 5-and-10 building downtown.
  One of the most remarkable things about Betty Noyce--for all of her 
wealth, for all the things she had seen and done--was that she never 
became cynical, never became jaded. It was the simple things that gave 
her pleasure--a good book, a walk on the beach, or time spent next to 
the fireplace in the face of a good old-fashioned nor'easter. Perhaps 
it was because she was so comfortable with herself and what she wanted 
from life that she shunned notoriety. Betty Noyce never wanted her name 
on a building. She knew she was making a difference in the lives of 
Mainers, and that's all the gratification Betty ever needed.
  Most of us in politics are here because we think we can improve the 
human condition, and we hope to leave a better America for the next 
generation. While Betty Noyce never held public office, I think we 
would do well to take a page from her book. At the memorial, Owen 
Wells, Betty's attorney and friend, said: ``To be given a fortune and 
accept it not as a stroke of luck but a mission, as she did, represents 
a kind of moral fiber that is extraordinary.'' Indeed, she has set an 
example for compassion and generosity of spirit, and reminds all of us 
that we have an obligation to make use of whatever gifts we have to 
give.
  I will always feel tremendous appreciation and deep affection for 
Betty and I will miss her very much. We will never forget her kindness, 
her enthusiasm, and the exemplary way in which she lived her 
life.

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