[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 121 (Monday, September 14, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1713-E1714]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                       TRIBUTE TO EDWARD C. SMITH

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. HOWARD COBLE

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                       Monday, September 14, 1998

  Mr. COBLE. Mr. Speaker, the American Dream is alive and flourishing. 
If you do not believe it, just examine the life of Eddie Smith of 
Lexington, North Carolina.
  Eddie celebrated his 80th birthday on September 13, with 400 friends, 
dancing to the beat of his favorite beach music. Smith might be one of 
the few octogenarians around who scuba dives, races Ferraris, and flies 
his own plane.
  Eddie Smith was born in Wake County, North Carolina. Orphaned at the 
age of 10, he was brought to Lexington with his sister and two brothers 
to live at the Junior Order Orphanage. After graduation in 1937, he 
remained in Lexington where he began working as an usher at the 
Carolina Theater, and it was there that he met his future wife, Sarah 
Lanier.
  After his job at the Carolina Theater, Eddie drove a taxicab before 
starting his own business, National Wholesale Company in 1952. As his 
business prospered, Eddie shared his good fortune with the community 
that helped to raise him. He has served as Mayor of Lexington, on the 
City Council, as Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce, Chairman of 
Davidson County Community College, Chairman of First Union National 
Bank, and Chairman of Lexington Memorial Hospital.
  An eternal optimist and visionary, Smith refused to see the old 
Carolina Theater become a pornographic theater and led an effort to 
restore the building and create one of the most beautiful Civic Centers 
in our state. He has been Chairman of the Civic Center, which is named 
in his honor, for 20 years. He is presently chairing a fund drive to 
further renovate the Civic Center to make it a state-of-the-art 
facility.
  An inveterate jogger, Smith found a woman in the street, on one of 
his early morning jogs, who had run away from an abusive husband during 
the night after being severely beaten. After hours of trying to find a 
shelter for this

[[Page E1714]]

woman, he realized that there was a tremendous need in Davidson County 
for a Domestic Violence Shelter and spear-headed the effort to 
establish Family Services of Davidson County. This organization assists 
hundreds of abused families each year.
  Through the Edward C. Smith Foundation, he has given many young 
people the opportunity to earn the college education which he never 
had. He is an avid supporter of the University of North Carolina at 
Chapel Hill where both of his children graduated. Eddie Smith, Jr., 
lives in Greenville, North Carolina, and is Chairman and CEO of Grady-
White Boats. Lynda Smith Swann lives in Lexington and is co-owner of 
the National Wholesale Company. Eddie was married to his wife, Sarah, 
for 58 years until her death on January 24, 1998. He has 3 
grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
  A colleague once described Eddie Smith's life in this way. ``Eddie 
Smith has been richly blessed by God, and he has chosen to use his 
blessings to bless others.'' These are just a few examples of the 
tremendous contribution that Eddie Smith has made during his 80 young 
years. I want to take this opportunity to wish Eddie a happy 80th 
birthday and to thank him for his many years of service to the citizens 
of North Carolina. Without a doubt, Eddie epitomizes what our 
forefathers envisioned when they established this great country over 
200 years ago.

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