[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 53 (Thursday, May 2, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E674-E675]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 TRIBUTE TO CHRISTINE AND ORAL EDWARDS

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. MARION BERRY

                              of arkansas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Wednesday, May 1, 2002

  Mr. BERRY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to two great 
American citizens, and I am proud to recognize Christine and Oral 
Edwards in the Congress for their invaluable contributions and service 
to Arkansas on the occasion of their fiftieth wedding anniversary.
  Chris, the daughter of Frank and Effie Austin of Blytheville, and 
Oral, the son of Jesse and Grace Edwards, were married on May 11, 1952 
at the First Baptist Church in Blytheville, AR by Reverend David 
McPeak. The story of their meeting is practically lifted from the pages 
of a Hollywood movie script.
  They met in the summer of 1951 when Chris was home from Southwestern 
College and working at Farmer's Bank and Trust in Blytheville. A friend 
of hers had told her about Oral, and she wanted to meet him. She knew 
that he worked at the grocery store on Saturdays, so she went to shop 
with her parents one Saturday.
  Oral ended up carrying out her family's groceries to the car. When he 
turned to go back in the store, she called out his name. When he turned 
around, she knew it was him, and she invited him to go to church with 
her. He didn't go, but later called for a date. They dated for about a 
year and decided to get married. They had no money and no car. Friends 
chipped in to help with the wedding arrangement, and they had a 
beautiful wedding. The rest as they say is history.
  The Edwardses have two children and six grandchildren. Steve, their 
first born, lives in Marianna with his wife, Laura. Steve and Laura 
have three children. Ashley, the oldest, lives in Maumelle with her 
husband Paul Rowton. Leigh is a student at Arkansas State University, 
and Steve, Jr., the youngest, is a first grader at Lee Academy.
  Susan, their daughter, lives in Memphis, Tennessee with her husband, 
Dr. Jim DeRossitt. Susan and Jim also have three

[[Page E675]]

children. Jay, the oldest, lives in Austin, Texas with his wife, Leigh. 
Frank attends Christian Brothers High School, and John, the youngest, 
is a student at Woodland Presbyterian School.
  Oral and Chris became permanent residents of Forrest City in 1962, 
when they moved here to establish a new location for their grocery 
store business at the intersection of Division Street and Highway 70. 
The business has since grown and Oral and his son, Steve, now own GES, 
Inc., which operates businesses in Arkansas named Food Giant, FG 
Express, Tobacco Warehouse and EDPROP Development Co.
  In addition to being a business leader, Oral has also been an active 
community leader. Oral has served as the Chairman of the Board of 
Trustees of East Arkansas Community College and the Baptist College of 
Medical Sciences in Memphis, Tennessee. He has also served on the Board 
of Directors of the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce and the 
Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees of Baptist Memorial Health 
Care Company, in Memphis.
  Chris, not to be outdone by her husband, has also played an important 
role in a number of community organizations. She has been a member of 
the Garden Gate Garden Club and the Forrest City Musical Coterie for 
more than 40 years. She has also been an active member of the P.E.O. 
Sisterhood.
  The state of Arkansas is a better place because of my close fiends 
Oral and Chris Edwards, and I am proud to call them my friends. On 
behalf of the Congress, I extend congratulations and best wishes to 
these faithful public servants on the fiftieth anniversary of their 
wedding.

                          ____________________