[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 1 (Tuesday, January 4, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E13-E14]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   TRIBUTE TO THE LATE MRS. MABEL YAP

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. KENDRICK B. MEEK

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, January 4, 2005

  Mr. MEEK of Florida. Mr. Speaker, it is with deep sorrow that I rise 
to pay this tribute to the late Mrs. Mabel Yap. She was one of Miami-
Dade County's matriarchs who contributed immense good to our community.
  Mrs. Yap's passing on December 27, 2004 leaves a deep void, 
especially for those of us who have known her quiet and dignified 
spirit in urging her children and grandchildren to advance the common 
good of our beloved community in an unselfish manner. The funeral Mass 
to celebrate her life is being held today, Tuesday, January 4, 2005, 
beginning at 2:00 p.m. at St. Louis Catholic Church, and will be 
followed by her interment at Woodlawn Cemetery in South Miami.
  She was the loving and devoted wife of Mr. Patrick Yap and the mother 
of eight children, 21 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren. Mrs. 
Yap symbolized the dutiful mother whose home offered sanctuary and 
solace to all those who sought her help. Her nurturing spirit and 
perseverance amidst overwhelming odds transformed her into a matron of 
love and caring for all those who came to her seeking her advice on a 
myriad of things. Buttressed by her unflinching faith and her 
willingness to pay the price, she went about doing good, especially on 
behalf of the less fortunate.
  Though a highly private individual, the late Mabel Yap consecrated 
her life to raising a family of achievers, and has been a resilient 
voice in articulating the need for responding to the plight of our 
community's immigrants. In so doing she symbolized all that is good and 
noble about the American spirit of idealism and optimism, and she 
worked long and hard in hopes that our nation truly become a land of 
opportunity for all.

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  This is the legacy Mrs. Mabel Yap bequeathed to us. Indeed, I am 
privileged to have been touched by the magnificent contributions she 
has made to our community through her family. I now join our community 
in thanks for her grace and for her noble and giving presence during 
her time with us.

                          ____________________