[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 69 (Monday, April 30, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5304-S5305]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          HELEN ROBSON WALTON

 Mr. PRYOR. Mr. President, it is with great pleasure that I 
today I honor the late Helen Robson Walton. Helen touched countless 
lives within her community, across Arkansas and throughout the world.
  Born on December 3, 1919, in Claremore, OK, Helen graduated college 
in 1941 with a bachelor's degree in finance from the University of 
Oklahoma School of Business. Two years later she married Sam Walton and 
they formed a lasting relationship of love, friendship and as business 
partners. Helen and Sam Walton opened their first retail store, a Ben 
Franklin ``five and dime'' in Newport, AR, in 1945.
  The daughter of a successful lawyer, banker and rancher, Helen had a 
natural instinct for good management and played an active role in the 
family business. She firmly believed in the concept of family 
partnerships and insisted that their four children--Rob, John, Jim and 
Alice--were partners of Walton Enterprises. At the time, they were all 
under the age of 10.
  Helen was also admired for her graceful, down-to-earth demeanor. She 
was active in the First Presbyterian Church in Bentonville and the 
first woman ever elected to vice chairwoman of the board of trustees 
for the Presbyterian Church, USA, Foundation.
  As a natural leader who recognized the importance of putting others 
before self, Helen devoted a large portion of her time to the Walton 
Family Foundation. Under her leadership, the foundation has given 
generously to numerous Arkansas organizations, including the University 
of Arkansas, the Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville and Crystal 
Bridges. Her commitment to education has also touched hundreds of lives 
in Central America. Since 1985, she personally supervised a $3.6 
million scholarship program for Central American students to study at 
John Brown University in Siloam Springs, University of the Ozarks and 
Harding University in Searcy. Knowing the vast majority of these 
students would return home, Helen wanted to provide them with higher 
educational opportunities so they could later contribute to the well-
being and economic development of their local communities.
  Her generosity of time, energy and goodwill towards others is an 
example we all can follow. I join Arkansans in offering my prayers and 
condolences for the Robson and Walton families during this difficult 
time.

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