[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 58 (Thursday, April 22, 2010)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E632-E633]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                     TRIBUTE TO MYRTLE E. THATCHER

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. DENNIS MOORE

                               of kansas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 22, 2010

  Mr. MOORE of Kansas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a 
distinguished citizen of Kansas City, Kansas, who celebrates her 100th 
birthday today.
  Myrtle E. Green Thatcher was born in Kansas City, Kansas, on April 
22, 1910, to Embridge and Eliza Green. She is a lifelong resident of 
Kansas City, where she graduated from Northeast Junior High School and 
Sumner High School. She was married for over 50 years to Nathan W. 
Thatcher, Jr., the third son of Mr. and Mrs. Nathan W. Thatcher, Sr., 
who was general manager of Thatcher Funeral Home, which is the oldest 
black family-owned funeral home in the State of Kansas. The business 
began operation in April 1912, at 1520 North 5th Street, founded by Mr. 
and Mrs. Nathan W. Thatcher, Sr.
  In 1979, Mr. and Mrs. Nathan Thatcher, Jr., affectionately known as 
Myrtle and ``Snooks'', remodeled the building. In the following year, 
Nathan died, leaving the family business in the capable hands of their 
only child, Quintelle Thatcher Davis, who guided the business until 
finally succumbing after a hard fought battle with cancer in 2007.
  Myrtle E. Thatcher has been active in the business for over 50 years. 
A licensed funeral director, she's been a member of the Missouri-Kansas 
Funeral Directors Association, the National Funeral Directors and 
Embalmers Association, and other professional groups. She's been a 
member of Pleasant Green Baptist Church for over 50 years and is a 
charter member of Alice M. Browne Chapter #40 of the Order of the 
Eastern Star. The recipient of numerous community service and 
professional awards through the course of her career, she is still 
serving our community, along with the excellent leadership of her 
grandson, Robert Davis, the fourth generation of her family to join the 
business, where he serves as general manager, funeral director and 
embalmer.
  This family business will be 98 years old this month. As Myrtle 
maintains, they will continue to follow founder Nathan Thatcher, 
Senior's, practice of following the Golden Rule: do unto others as they 
do unto you. And Myrtle will continue to be very proud of her family, 
which includes five great grandchildren and three grandchildren: Judy 
Easterwood, who lives with her husband Robert in Kansas City, Kansas; 
Robert Davis, and Associate Professor Jacquelyn Hams, the chair of the 
department of earth science and anthropology of Los Angeles Valley 
College.
  Madam Speaker, I know that you and all members of the House of 
Representatives join with me in paying tribute to Myrtle E. Thatcher 
upon her 100th birthday.

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