[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 139 (Thursday, October 27, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2192-E2193]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO JEANETTE CANTRELL RUDY--HEALTHCARE PHILANTHROPIST

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JIM COOPER

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 27, 2005

  Mr. COOPER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and celebrate the 
birthday of a dear friend and a distinguished member of the Nashville 
community, Mrs. Jeanette Cantrell Rudy. Mrs. Rudy is a generous 
philanthropist, an accomplished sportswoman and a true friend to many 
in Tennessee and across the nation. She celebrates her 78th birthday on 
October 27th, 2005.

[[Page E2193]]

  When you look at everything Jeanette has accomplished in a mere 78 
years, it is clear she is a woman of fierce commitment, incomparable 
energy and true generosity. As someone fortunate to have worked with 
Jeannette on various community initiatives, I can tell you there is no 
one you would rather have on your team when you launch a new project.
  Born October 27th, 1927 in Sheffield, Alabama, Jeanette enrolled in 
the Saint Thomas Hospital School of Nursing in Nashville following high 
school graduation. She received her nursing degree in 1948. That 
occasion changed her life--along with the fact that she also met her 
future husband, Mr. Daniel Clees Rudy, about this time.
  Daniel Clees Rudy, cofounder of the Rudy's Farm Sausage Company, and 
Jeanette married on February 20th, 1949. The Rudys made their home in 
the Pennington Bend area on the Cumberland River until Mr. Rudy's death 
in 1984.
  Jeanette served her community as a public health nurse for seven 
years. But that was just the beginning to her commitment to better 
health care for all of Nashville. In memory of her late husband, 
Jeanette helped to establish and fund the Dan Rudy Cancer Center at 
Saint Thomas Hospital in 1985. Also in 1985, Jeanette and her sisters, 
founded the Felix A. and Edna L. Cantrell Endowment Fund in honor of 
their parents. This special endowment has helped a host of nurses reach 
their educational goals and advance in the nursing field. A long-time 
supporter of the nursing program at Cumberland University in Lebanon, 
Tennessee, Jeanette was recognized for her efforts with an honorary 
doctorate of humanities from Cumberland University in 1990.
  In addition to her commitment to public service, Jeanette is a 
passionate hobbyist. She has assembled the finest privately held 
collection of State and Federal duck stamps, including the very first 
stamp issued in 1934. Jeanette served as a judge of the Federal duck 
stamp competition in Washington, D.C. in 1992. In 1996, the Smithsonian 
Institution established, in her honor, the Jeanette Cantrell Rudy Duck 
Stamp Gallery at the National Postal Museum.
  Jeanette's energy and zest for life do not stop there. An avid 
sportswoman, she held the title of Ladies State Trapshooting Champion 
for nine years, was named to the women's all-American trap team twice, 
and has been an ardent hunter and angler since 1949 over much of North 
America. Jeanette has also spent endless hours helping many 
organizations and educational institutions in Middle Tennessee. She 
served on the boards of Cumberland University, the Saint Thomas 
Hospital Auxiliary, the Saint Thomas Foundation and the Nashville Zoo, 
and she is a major supporter of the Nashville Police and Fire 
Department and the National Police Memorial in Washington, DC.

  She is the recipient of the 1992 Seton Medal for her service to 
patients of Saint Thomas Hospital. She authored a book, ``A Bend in the 
Cumberland,'' which traces the history of the Pennington Bend area, 
where, for many years, her husband and his brother operated the Rudy's 
Farm Sausage Company. And, now, as a Commissioner of the Tennessee 
Wildlife Resources Agency since 2001, Jeannette is dedicated to raising 
funds for projects that will help preserve, conserve and enhance 
Tennessee's population of fish and wildlife.
  Jeanette's devotion to public service and her long-standing advocacy 
for nursing are truly remarkable. I thank this spirited American for 
her unwavering compassion and desire to make life more positive for 
others in her community.
  Today, I join my distinguished colleagues--Representatives Bart 
Gordon and John Tanner--and all Tennesseans in congratulating and 
extending our warmest and best wishes to Jeanette Cantrell Rudy for a 
happy 78th birthday. Jeannette, may you have many more rewarding and 
life-enriching experiences ahead.

                          ____________________