[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 73 (Tuesday, May 10, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E661]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    COMMEMORATING THE LIFE AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF MR. GERVAIS OXENDINE

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. RICHARD HUDSON

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 10, 2016

  Mr. HUDSON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life of my dear 
friend Mr. Gervais Oxendine and to commemorate the legacy of service to 
North Carolina he left behind.
  Mr. Gervais Oxendine (``Mr. Gervais'' as he was affectionately 
referred to by folks in Robeson County) was born on August 18, 1943 in 
Robeson County. After growing up in the area and attending Pembroke 
State College (now UNC Pembroke), Gervais was commissioned as an 
officer in the U.S. Navy. He served his country for four years during 
the Vietnam War aboard the USS Forrestal.
  Mr. Gervais' lifetime of service to our country continued even after 
his enlistment ended. His son, Eric Oxendine, is currently a U.S. Navy 
Captain. Gervais was also an integral member of the Lumbee Warriors 
Association, a local non-profit group that helps veterans across the 
region who are struggling with PTSD. Additionally, Gervais was a 
lifetime member of VFW Post 2843 in Pembroke.
  Gervais was a successful businessman, working more than 32 years in 
key management positions for Abbott Laboratories. Gervais played an 
important role in the company's expansion into the Caribbean, Puerto 
Rico and the Dominican Republic, and received Abbott Lab's President's 
Award on four separate occasions.
  More than any of his notable career or military accomplishments, 
folks across North Carolina knew Gervais as a man who fought fiercely 
for Robeson County and the Lumbee Native American Tribe. Mr. Gervais 
served on the UNC Pembroke Board of Trustees for eight years, during 
which time he worked closely with North Carolina Board of Governors 
officials to advocate for UNCP. He was also a key leader for issues 
facing the Lumbee Tribe, and aggressively supported efforts for federal 
tribal recognition, along with additional state and federal resources 
for his people.
  Mr. Gervais was seen as the go-to-guy in Robeson County when it came 
to turning political ideas into real policy reforms to help the region. 
He was one of my first supporters in the area, and I'll never be able 
to repay the debt of gratitude I owe for his friendship and counsel 
over the years. I'm going to dearly miss my friend, Gervais Oxendine, 
but I know his legacy will live on through his wonderful wife, Dr. 
Olivia Holmes Oxendine, his two sons and three grandsons.
  Mr. Speaker, please join me today in commemorating the life of Mr. 
Gervais Oxendine for his service to Robeson County and his commitment 
to bettering the lives of everyone in our community and state.

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