[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 18 (Monday, February 1, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E80]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




              CELEBRATING THE LIFE OF JOHNNIE SOWELL NEESE

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                            HON. JOE WILSON

                           of south carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, February 1, 2016

  Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Mr. Speaker, last week, South 
Carolinians mourned the passing of Johnnie Sowell Neese of Springdale 
who was recognized as one of the state's leading businesswomen. She was 
the state's first female Republican candidate for office with the 1964 
Goldwater Republican effort. At that time only one Republican had been 
elected as a legislator in the Twentieth Century being Charlie Boineau 
in 1961. Mrs. Neese courageously spearheaded the promotion of the two-
party system in South Carolina where Republicans are now super 
majorities in the legislature holding all statewide offices. They are 
led by Governor Nikki Haley, from her home county of Lexington, who is 
the state's first female Governor in 340 years.
  She and her late husband Harry carefully organized their professions 
as they successfully raised five talented daughters who have now 
inspired the success of six grandsons.
  I especially appreciate her ``gift of administration'' in that for 
seventeen years she was treasurer of my campaign as I served in the 
State Senate. She upheld flawlessly the standard set by my predecessor 
and her friend Congressman Floyd Spence that ``It must not only be 
right, it must look right,'' as we successfully replaced an incumbent 
in the Republican primary.
  The following obituary was in The State newspaper of Columbia, S.C., 
on Saturday, January 30th:

       Funeral service for Johnnie Sowell Neese, 89, of West 
     Columbia, will be held at 3:00 p.m. Sunday, January 31, 2016, 
     at Holland Avenue Baptist Church, 801 12th Street, Cayce, SC. 
     Pastor Dow Welsh and Pastor Charles Wilson will officiate. 
     Interment will follow in Southland Memorial Gardens. The 
     family will greet friends from 6:00 8:00 p.m. Saturday, 
     January 30, 2016, at Thompson Funeral Home of Lexington, 4720 
     Augusta Road, Lexington, SC. Mrs. Neese passed away Thursday, 
     January 28, 2016.
       Born in Kershaw, she was a daughter of the late John Wesley 
     and Evelyn Blease Johnson Sowell, Sr. She was a graduate of 
     Kershaw High School and attended Coker College. Johnnie was a 
     charter member of Holland Avenue Baptist Church and served as 
     trustee and Sunday School teacher for more than 50 years. She 
     was the chairman of the Nominating, Finance, and Personnel 
     Committees, and a member of the Benevolent, Building, 
     Library, and Stewardship Committees. Johnnie was continuously 
     employed by the House of Perfection, Inc., manufacturer and 
     wholesaler of children's apparel from November 1956 until 
     July 2005, when she retired as executive vice president and 
     chief financial officer. She was the former president of the 
     West Columbia Cayce Junior Woman's Club, former Division 
     chairman of the S.C. Federation of Women's Clubs, the former 
     president of the Riverlyn Women's Club, a former member of 
     the Lexington County Higher Education Commission, Congaree 
     Area Girl Scout Council and served as the West Columbia Cayce 
     residential chairman for the United Way. Johnnie was a former 
     member of the Body of Trustees, United Community Services and 
     was nominated for the ``Woman of Achievement'' award for the 
     State of South Carolina in 1992. She was awarded the ``Woman 
     of Distinction'' honor in 1996, from the Congaree Area Girl 
     Scout Council.
       From 1964 through 1967, Johnnie was active in the Lexington 
     County and the South Carolina Republican Parties, having 
     served as secretary-treasurer, County Finance chairman, 
     County Organization chairman, president of Lexington County 
     Republican Women, precinct officer, and Convention 
     Credentials chairman. A candidate for the House of 
     Representatives in 1964, she was the first woman in South 
     Carolina to run for public office on the Republican ticket. 
     She served for 17 years as treasurer for Senator Addison G. 
     (Joe) Wilson and assumed active roles in State and 
     Congressional campaigns for Republican candidates Albert 
     Watson, Floyd Spence, and Strom Thurmond.
       Johnnie is survived by her daughters, Lynda Neese (Gary 
     Miller), Carol Neese, Deborah Neese, Sandra Neese Cooke, 
     Tracey Neese Edenfield; six grandsons, Ira Brent Driggers, 
     Jonathan Michael Cooke, Jordan Patrick Cooke, Zachary Tanner 
     Edenfield, Nicholas Yates Edenfield, Jacob Andrew Edenfield; 
     three great-grandsons. In addition to her parents, she was 
     predeceased by her husband of more than 50 years, Harry Yates 
     Neese; twin sister, Connie Sowell, and brother, John W. 
     Sowell, Jr.

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