[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 27 (Thursday, March 4, 2004)]
[House]
[Page H845]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            CONGRESSIONAL TRIBUTE TO BERTHA WOODARD JOHNSON

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Towns) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. TOWNS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to Bertha 
Woodard Johnson. Bertha Woodard Johnson is the daughter of the late 
Sadie Woodard and Richard Wallace. She was born in Chester, South 
Carolina and reared by her mother and grandmother. Mrs. Johnson spent a 
life providing services for the needy, with a particular vocation of 
serving children and the elderly. She has worked tirelessly to improve 
the quality of life through active participation and personal generous 
donations of her time and talent. This passion to help people led her 
to become a care giver and nurse for over 45 years. Before retiring, 
she received numerous awards and accolades for her dedicated service 
including ``Nurse of the Year.''
  In a recent celebration in my district, where people came together to 
pay tribute to Bertha Johnson, they came from all over. They came from 
Tampa, Florida. Pastor Giles, of course his wife, Deacon Jackson, her 
daughter Mary and of course Natalie and Ramona. They just came from 
everywhere to celebrate the life of Bertha Johnson. She is a person 
that had done so much to improve the quality of life for so many. There 
were people there who said ``I would not be able to be where I am if it 
had not been for Bertha Johnson.'' Not her children but people that she 
influenced, people that she encouraged to do positive things this life. 
It was the most moving experience I think I have ever encountered.
  And I would like to take this opportunity to salute Bertha Johnson; 
her husband, Charlie Johnson; and all of the Johnson family for the 
outstanding job that they have done in terms of improving the quality 
of life for people down through the years and to listen to folks call 
her Mother that were not even her children but they came and were 
supportive of her because of the fact that she made such a difference 
in their lives. There are not too many people around that have the 
influence and have been able to give the kind of support that Bertha 
Woodard Johnson has given to so many but recognizing that she could not 
have done that without the support of her husband, Charlie Johnson, who 
has been right there by her side and she was able to go out and do 
things on behalf of people.
  I would like to say to the House here today we take the time now to 
salute Bertha Woodard Johnson for the outstanding work that she has 
done down through the years and say to those that came to encourage her 
we salute them as well because we can say without any reservation that 
Bertha Johnson has made a difference and it is a life well lived. We 
continue to support her and we know that she will continue to do great 
things on behalf of the people not only in the area where she lives but 
throughout this Nation. We salute Bertha Johnson on this day.

                          ____________________