[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 19 (Wednesday, February 15, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E164]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         TRIBUTE TO ILEEN GREEN

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ROBERT A. BRADY

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, February 15, 2006

  Mr. BRADY of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor Ileen 
Green, daughter to Marilyn and Harry Griver, a sister, a teacher, a 
mother, a peace activist, and most recently, a grandmother.
  Ileen Green has spent the majority of her adult life giving to others 
in many special ways. Her dedication to Philadelphia students is the 
easiest to pinpoint. She has been a dedicated teacher in middle school 
and elementary school for over 20 years. Shortly after she started her 
career in teaching she taught one of the first desegregation classes 
here. She fought for everyone to have a fair opportunity for and good 
education. She was an activist. She became pregnant a few years later, 
having to leave her job as a school teacher, temporarily. She named her 
daughter Kelly, after an African American male student who was in her 
first desegregation class. ``He was very gifted and special,'' she 
always said.
  As a single mom and, without any outside support, Ileen raised her 
family, at the time women lacked many equal rights. She was unable to 
even sign a lease for an apartment unless a man signed it as well. 
There were limited opportunities for women in business and childcare 
was an expense she couldn't afford. Ileen worked from home, 
telemarketing, and made just enough to pay the bills. Her family 
struggled over the years. Ileen decided this wasn't enough. Ileen 
decided to go into business for herself and became a very successful 
saleswoman. This however required many travel obligations that 
separated her from her daughter. Ileen wanted to keep her family close 
and so she decided to return to teaching, where she has stayed.
  Her loving daughter Kelly describes her as ``the type of mother all 
my friends wanted. She never hesitated to give advice, support, and 
hugs. Several times my mother took on the extended responsibilities of 
becoming a foster mom. All the while, active in women's rights groups, 
focused on her work, and yet always finding time to be her daughter's 
best friend and greatest supporter.''
  Ileen has found herself in poor health for the last decade but 
through it all she returns to work finding strength in doing what she 
loves most, making a difference in the lives of children. Even now, in 
kidney failure, and facing serious decline in her health she still will 
not give up. She returns to the classroom, and provides the love, 
kindness, and education today's children desperately need. She teaches 
because she loves what she does and she does it well.
  Ileen Green has been through her fair share of struggles. Single 
motherhood, survival of domestic abuse, and financial hardships have 
not been able to stifle her spirit. Through it all, she has continued 
to be a kind, loving, generous, and sincere woman and mother. The kind 
that her daughter, as a recent mother herself, hopes to be. In 
recognition of her years of service to her community I ask that you and 
my other distinguished colleagues rise to honor her.

                          ____________________