[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 149 (Thursday, November 10, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Page S12676]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            MORNING BUSINESS

                                 ______
                                 

                   TRIBUTE TO MR. HENRY OSCAR WHITLOW

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I today honor the life of a prominent 
Kentuckian, Mr. Henry Oscar Whitlow, and to pay tribute to the numerous 
contributions he made to his community and to the Commonwealth of 
Kentucky.
  A native of Ballard County, KY, Mr. Whitlow spent his professional 
life practicing law in Paducah. In addition to being a respected 
attorney, he was also an active member of the Broadway United Methodist 
Church, and served as President of the Paducah Area Chamber of 
Commerce, the Paducah Jaycees, and the Paducah Rotary Club.
  People like Henry Whitlow are what make Kentucky such a special 
place. I extend my condolences to his wife of 55 years, Elizabeth Ann 
Clement Whitlow, his son Mark Whitlow, his daughter Rebecca Gutherie, 
and all those that mourn the passing of this great man.
  Earlier this week the Paducah Sun marked the passing of this 
community icon in a piece titled, ``Whitlow remembered for community 
contributions.'' I ask that the full article be printed in the Record 
and that the entire Senate join me in paying our respect to this 
beloved Kentuckian.
  There being no objection, the material was ordered to be printed in 
the Record, as follows:

                  [From the Paducah Sun, Nov. 8, 2005]

             Whitlow Remembered for Community Contributions

                          (By Bill Bartleman)

       Henry Oscar Whitlow was remembered Monday as soft-spoken 
     and unassuming, but strong and powerful in his contribution 
     to the community and the legal profession.
       Whitlow, 91, died at 5:42 a.m. Monday at Lourdes hospital. 
     His son, Mark Whitlow, said he had suffered from Alzheimer's 
     and had been in a nursing home since last year.
       Visitation will be held at the Milner and Orr Funeral Home 
     of Paducah from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday. Services will be at 
     Broadway United Methodist Church in Paducah at 1:30 p.m. 
     Friday followed by burial in Mount Kenton Cemetery.
       Whitlow, a native of Monkey's Eyebrow in Ballard County, 
     began practicing law in Paducah in 1937 with the Waller and 
     Threlkeld law firm. He eventually became a partner and the 
     firm is now known as Whitlow Roberts Houston and Straub. It 
     is one of Paducah's largest and most prestigious firms.
       He was a member of Broadway United Methodist Church for 
     almost 70 years and held every leadership position in the 
     church. He also was a lay speaker and a Sunday School 
     teacher.
       He also was active in civic affairs and served as president 
     of what is now the Paducah Area Chamber of Commerce, the 
     Paducah Rotary Club, the Paducah Jaycees and many other 
     organizations.
       Senior U.S. District Judge Edward H. Johnstone described 
     Whitlow as a leader with humility, a litigator with 
     compassion and a scholar with the common touch.
       ``He was a great man,'' Johnstone said. ``The thing that 
     distinguished him from present-day lawyers is that he built 
     his reputation by what he did, not how much he advertised or 
     blew his own horn. His work is what sold him to the public. 
     He never sought glory or credit. He was unselfish and always 
     a perfect gentleman.''
       U.S. District Judge Thomas Russell said Whitlow had a 
     profound effect on those around him. Russell was associated 
     with Whitlow's firm for almost 25 years.
       Without Whitlow as a mentor, Russell said he would have 
     never risen to the federal judgeship. ``You can learn the 
     practice of law from a lot of people, but he taught me what 
     it takes to represent people--to feel their sorrow, their 
     joys and their concerns.''
       Whitlow served as the attorney for the Paducah Board of 
     Education for more than 40 years. Bill Black Jr., a long-time 
     board member, said Whitlow viewed his work with the board as 
     public service. ``The fees he charged were not what he could 
     get investing his time in other legal work,'' Black said.
       He said Whitlow never tried to influence board decisions 
     and only got involved when he thought the board was straying 
     in the wrong legal direction.
       ``He listened very carefully and said very little,'' Black 
     said. ``But when he did speak, we always knew it was our time 
     to listen to his wisdom and take his advice.''
       Black noted that Whitlow was the board attorney in 1956 
     when the city schools were integrated. He said Whitlow's 
     legal advice undoubtedly played an important role in the 
     successful and peaceful integration that had been mandated by 
     the U.S. Supreme Court.
       ``Many schools in the South started integrating in the 1st 
     grade and did it over 12 years,'' Black said. ``Paducah 
     allowed any African American who wanted to attended a 
     previously all-white school to do it in the first year.''
       Away from the legal profession, Russell said Whitlow set an 
     example of how a person should be a good citizen. In addition 
     to being a church leader, Russell said Whitlow was active in 
     the Boy Scouts, charitable work ``and was past president of 
     the Rotary Club and every other civic organization that he 
     belonged to. ``In all that he ever did, he didn't seek any 
     kind of recognition.''
       Mark Whitlow, also an attorney, said his father was an 
     inspiration.
       ``We all love our fathers,'' Whitlow said. ``But he also 
     was an outstanding mentor in terms of being a scholar of the 
     law and in his love for the community and public service. He 
     set a good example for all of us.''
       Fred Paxton, chairman of the board of Paxton Media which 
     owns the Paducah Sun, said Whitlow's slight frame and soft 
     voice were deceiving.
       ``He was a very rugged individual and very, very strong,'' 
     Paxton said. ``If you exchange a hand shake with him, you 
     knew that. He also had a delightful sense of humor. It was 
     very low key and subtle, but rich.''
       In 1993 Whitlow was honored as the Kentucky Bar 
     Association's ``Lawyer of the Year.''
       He was humbled by the honor. ``It was like a bolt out of 
     the blue,'' he told the Paducah Sun. ``I still don't know how 
     the lightning happened to strike me. I am just an old country 
     boy who came up in the Depression.''
       In addition to his son, Whitlow is survived by his wife of 
     55 years, Elizabeth Ann Clement Whitlow; a daughter, Rebecca 
     Gutherie of Maryland; a sister, Mildred Hughes of Tucson, 
     Ariz., and two grandchildren.

                          ____________________