[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 74 (Wednesday, June 14, 2000)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1002]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    IN TRIBUTE TO EARL T. SHINHOSTER

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EVA M. CLAYTON

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 14, 2000

  Mrs. CLAYTON. Mr. Speaker, it is with great sadness that I rise to 
express my condolences to the family of Mr. Earl T. Shinhoster, whose 
tragic and untimely passing we mourn. His wife, Ruby, and his son, 
Michael Omar, should know, that while their grief is heavy, comfort may 
be found in those close to them, friends and family, who will gather on 
Friday morning, June 16th, to acclaim his life. This husband and father 
was indeed an American hero, the Wind beneath the Wings of a reborn and 
revitalized NAACP.
  For more than 30 years, Earl T. Shinhoster gave of himself to the 
NAACP, serving in a range of roles and assuming the highest staff 
position when that organization was at its lowest. With the same 
dedication and determination that typified his tenure, in 1996, he 
grabbed the reins of the NAACP and, as Executive Director, brought it 
from the brink of bankruptcy to a bastion of brightness. Whether in 
Africa, his birth state of Georgia or across the Nation, he reminded us 
that voting is the most important because all other rights grow from 
that right.
  Earl has now been called to rest and to reside in a place of total 
peace. God's finger has gently touched him and he now sleeps. I am 
confident that he has left a lasting impression on those who came to 
know him, and the principles that guided him will now serve as 
guideposts for those he leaves behind. I am also certain that 
throughout his life, he remained a caring friend, a devoted and loving 
family member, and a committed and dedicated father and husband. He 
shall surely be missed. I feel certain, however, that he would want all 
of us to rejoice in his life and the time he spent on this earth.
  The passing of a loved one is always very hard to understand, but God 
has the situation in-hand. Ecclesiastes, Chapter 3, Verses 1 through 8 
is instructive. It reads in part, ``To every thing there is a season, 
and a time to every purpose under the heaven. . . . A time to be born, 
and a time to die.'' And while his friends and family will greatly miss 
Earl, I want to remind them that strength can be found in their 
continued support of one another. That is what he worked for all of his 
life. That is what he would want.
  And, a special word for Ruby and Michael Omar. It is my hope that 
your family will be comforted by the fact that God in His infinite 
wisdom does not make mistakes. Your husband and father will live on 
forever in your hearts and minds through your cherished memories of his 
life and the time you had with him. Please continue to support one 
another, and I will pray for God's rich blessings on each of you. May 
God comfort and help your family and friends and help all of you to 
hold on to treasured yesterdays; and reach out with courage and hope to 
tomorrow, knowing that your beloved is with God. Death is not the end 
of life. It is the beginning of an eternal sleep. Earl T. Shinhoster 
lived his life in sacrifice so that millions of us could live our lives 
in pride. He has labored long. He now rests.

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