[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 112 (Wednesday, July 25, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1322]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              IN MEMORIAM AND REMEMBRANCE OF SYLVIA WOODS

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. CHARLES B. RANGEL

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 25, 2012

  Mr. RANGEL. Mr. Speaker, it is with great sadness, but also great 
pride, that I rise today to share a few words about Sylvia Woods, 
founder of Sylvia's Restaurant in Harlem, who passed away on Thursday, 
July 19, 2012. Ms. Woods was a local hero and a world renowned 
restaurateur, but also a dear personal friend; her death marks a 
devastating loss to Harlem and the greater New York City community, and 
she will be sorely missed. On behalf of the Harlem community, my wife 
Alma and I extend our sincere and heartfelt support, love, and sympathy 
to Ms. Sylvia's entire family.
  Ms. Sylvia was an exceptional woman whose extraordinary work ethic 
and wonderful character should serve as a model for all Americans. Her 
life epitomized the American dream. Growing up on a farm in Hemingway, 
South Carolina, she began working in the field as a young girl and then 
made her way to New York in search of opportunity. After working as a 
teenager in a Queens hat factory for several years, she began working 
as a waitress at a luncheonette in Harlem.
  This would mark the beginning of her fortuitous journey to the center 
of Harlem society. Ms. Sylvia would eventually purchase that 
luncheonette and, with hard work and patience, transform the small 
restaurant into a commercial empire boasting a catering service, 
banquet hall, and a nationally distributed line of prepared foods. Her 
farm to fame journey should remind us all of the great opportunity this 
country represents, and the hard work necessary to achieve it.
  But Ms. Sylvia's success was as much a result of her charming 
personality as it was of her work ethic. She was a dynamic, warm, and 
kind woman who greeted every customer with a friendly and inviting 
smile. Her incredible hospitality and personable nature were symbolic 
of Harlem's rich communal character, and for that she was beloved. Her 
energetic personality attracted local and national politicians, 
international celebrities, tourists, and ordinary neighborhood 
residents, and created an environment so comfortable that it naturally 
became the social center of our community.
  I want to thank Ms. Sylvia for her decades of service to our 
community, and for the many personal memories that I will cherish 
forever. Thank you for creating such a special, magical place at the 
soul of Harlem. Nothing can replace you, but your legacy will live on 
forever in our hearts.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask that you and my distinguished colleagues join me 
in mourning Ms. Sylvia Woods' passing. It is my hope that her example 
will serve as a testament that, with hard work and genuine character, 
we can achieve our greatest dreams.

                          ____________________