[Congressional Record Volume 158, Number 164 (Wednesday, December 19, 2012)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1956-E1957]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    IN HONOR OF DR. WILLIAM PURCELL

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. LARRY KISSELL

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 18, 2012

  Mr. KISSELL. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a true, dedicated 
leader in my state and in my community, Dr. William Purcell of Scotland 
County, North Carolina. Dr. Purcell grew up in Laurinburg, North 
Carolina, just south of my home town of Biscoe, North Carolina. He 
attended public schools in Laurinburg before graduating from Davidson 
College, and later, the University of North Carolina School of 
Medicine. After proudly serving our nation in the United States Army 
Medical Corps in France, during the Cold War, he returned home to North 
Carolina where he practiced pediatrics in Laurinburg for 36 years. 
During this time he also served on the Laurinburg City Council for six 
years, and as the Mayor of Laurinburg for 10 years. He became a member 
of the North Carolina Senate in 1997 and has proudly served the 25th 
District for seven terms before announcing his retirement this year.
  If there is any indication of the impact this man has had on his 
community, it is the numerous awards he has received, including the

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Distinguished Service Award from the University of North Carolina in 
2005, for his commitment to making preventive health care a top 
priority. Dr. Purcell's dedication to the health of the children of 
North Carolina continued after his retirement as a pediatrician, making 
its way into the halls of the General Assembly where he served as a 
member of the Appropriations Committee on Health and Human Services, 
and the Chairman of the Legislative Task Force on Childhood Obesity. To 
honor this commitment, ABC News Correspondent George Stephanopoulous 
presented him with the Nathan Davis Award, the American Medical 
Association's highest award for a public office. Most recently, in 
2008, his fellow senators and local news correspondents voted him one 
of the most effective members of the North Carolina Senate.
  Senator Purcell and I have been friends for quite some time now, and 
this has allowed me to experience first-hand his generosity and his 
commitment to the well-being of the people of our state. As a former 
educator, I understand the importance of pediatric health and wellness, 
and their impact on a student's ability to succeed. I sincerely thank 
Dr. Purcell for his tireless devotion to making our community a better 
place.
  Mr. Speaker, it is with admiration and appreciation that I rise today 
to speak of the ceaseless and tireless efforts of Senator Purcell to 
represent the people of Anson, Richmond, Scotland, and Stanly counties, 
and our state as a whole. Today, I urge my colleagues to join me in 
commending Senator Purcell for his outstanding leadership and 
achievements, and for a life of selfless devotion to those around him.

                          ____________________