[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 46 (Wednesday, March 18, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E361]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           HONORING THE LIFE OF MAIME ERNA STRIEBER SHEPPERD

                                  _____
                                 

                        HON. K. MICHAEL CONAWAY

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 18, 2015

  Mr. CONAWAY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of Maime 
Erna Strieber Shepperd. Maime passed away in January, just weeks after 
celebrating her ninety-seventh birthday. Bright from a young age, Maime 
graduated high school as class valedictorian at the age of fifteen and 
enrolled in the University of Texas at Austin Journalism School. It was 
at the University of Texas where she met her husband of 51 years, the 
late John Ben Shepperd. They were married shortly after her graduation.
  Maime and John raised four children together, living in both Austin 
and Odessa throughout their marriage. She was first-lady to John's 
political career, first as Texas Secretary of State and then as 
Attorney General. When the family moved to Odessa, Maime got involved 
with many cultural, philanthropic, and political organizations. She 
served on the board for the West Texas Rehabilitation Center and 
founded the Crystal Ball, an annual benefit event. She was also 
involved as a board member for the Midland-Odessa Symphony, and was 
tapped by the New York Metropolitan Opera to serve as their West Texas 
representative.
  During Lyndon Johnson's campaign for president in 1964, Maime served 
as the Chairman of the Ladies for Lyndon West Texas committee. She also 
joined Lady Bird Johnson on the whistle-stop Lady Bird Special train as 
it toured eight southern states. Maime's legacy also extends to the 
University of Texas Permian Basin's library. As the Odessa chairman of 
the book drive which founded the library in the early 1970s, she helped 
obtain over 300,000 books to start the collection that students at the 
University of Texas Permian Basin still use to this day.
  Maime's dedication to her many cultural and philanthropic pursuits 
was admirable, as was the stable and loving home she provided for her 
family. She is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Alfred and 
Honey Shepperd, her daughter and son-in-law, Suzanne and Gary McIntosh, 
nine grandchildren, and twenty great-grandchildren. Please join me in 
remembering the extraordinary life of Maime Shepperd.

                          ____________________