[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 19 (Tuesday, March 3, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E260]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     HONORING THE REV. BETSY SYMLIE

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JACK QUINN

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, March 3, 1998

  Mr. QUINN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring to the attention of my 
colleagues a very special person in my district, the Reverend Betsy 
Smylie.
  Reverend Smylie graduated from Harvard Radcliffe in 1975, and earned 
her Master of Divinity from Harvard in 1981. Upon graduation, Reverend 
Smylie began her career of service in Western New York.
  Throughout her many years of service to our community, Reverend 
Smylie served as Vicar of Ephphatha and Diocesan Missioner to the Deaf. 
She has also demonstrated a true commitment to such important 
institutions for the Deaf as the St. Mary's School, Deaf Adult 
Services, and other agencies whose goal is empowerment for Western New 
York's hearing impaired.
  In addition to her tremendous service to the Deaf, strong command of 
sign language, devotion to God and community, and leadership, she has 
obtained an extraordinary level of respect from our community, both as 
a scholar and preacher, and as an unyielding advocate.
  Tragically, Reverend Smylie was admitted to the hospital on January 
5th, 1998 with malignant brain cancer.
  Mr. Speaker, today I would like to join with the Town of Hamburg, and 
indeed, our entire Western New York community, to express our sincere 
best wishes to Reverend Betsy Smylie for a complete and speedy recovery 
through God's Healing Hand as she battles cancer.
  Reverend Smylie has always had a love for our American government. It 
is only fitting that I now ask my distinguished colleagues to join me 
in prayer for the Reverend Smylie, and for her husband, Reverend John 
Smylie, and their children, Shemaleiah and Nathan.

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