[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 146 (Monday, November 7, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E2286-E2287]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       TRIBUTE TO DOROTHY BURFORD

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JO ANN EMERSON

                              of missouri

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, November 7, 2005

  Mrs. EMERSON. Mr. Speaker, I have known Dorothy Burford for over 25 
years, and I loved her drive and spunk from the very first moment I met 
her. Although life left her blind and deaf in recent years, she never 
lost that spunk. I have never known anyone with such energy and 
enthusiasm for life. I certainly do not know anyone who lived a fuller 
life than Dorothy. She was an active political mind and

[[Page E2287]]

an able political voice in Southern Missouri for more than half a 
century, and she was known far outside the boundaries of Doniphan, MO, 
her home sweet home.
  Dorothy missed only one Republican national convention between 1952 
to 2000, and not only did she attend, but she was an active 
participant. She attended numerous State Lincoln Days over the years, 
traveling from Doniphan to St. Louis, Kansas City or Springfield and 
one year, after vacationing in Florida, she decided she just couldn't 
miss it, so she took a bus by herself from Florida to Kansas City. 
Although Dorothy didn't have a plan on how to get back to Doniphan, she 
just knew someone would be there from Southern Missouri and she could 
ride home with them!
  I also recall many wonderful Labor Day parades in Doniphan: Dorothy 
was always there recruiting people to ride the floats or helping with 
the decorations. One year, it rained so hard they canceled the parade, 
but Dorothy, ever the patriot, decided it was a shame to waste all our 
time and effort, so we had our own parade down Walnut Street.
  Dorothy Burford's father, T.L. Wright, started a lumber company in 
Doniphan which later became the T.L. Sand & Concrete, Co. Dorothy 
graduated from Stephens College in Columbia, MO, and, being the oldest 
of 8 children, took over the business when her father died in 1928. Not 
only was it a rare thing for a woman to graduate college in the 1920's, 
it was even more infrequent that a woman would take over the family 
business. Dorothy proved herself quite capable, however. She oversaw 
the completion of one of T.L.'s greatest projects: the first concrete 
bridge over the Current River. A year later when the bridge was ready 
to open, instead of doing the usual ribbon cutting, Dorothy pulled on 
her riding boots and jumped off the bridge.
  Once again, Dorothy showed us a different way of doing things. I am 
still among the many who feel she was too soon taken from us, even at 
her estimable age of 102. All of these memories and stories about 
Dorothy only begin to scratch the surface of her drive, her 
determination, and her individuality. She was a principled, thoughtful, 
inspiring woman I am proud to call my friend. She will be greatly 
missed, but through her legendary legacy, I have no doubt she will live 
on.

                          ____________________