[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 4 (Monday, January 8, 2018)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E11]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    TRIBUTE TO GEORGE C. WRIGHT, JR.

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. LISA BLUNT ROCHESTER

                              of delaware

                    in the house of representatives

                        Monday, January 8, 2018

  Ms. BLUNT ROCHESTER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the 
remarkable life of trailblazer and Delaware icon, George C. Wright, Jr.
  From humble beginnings in Chesapeake City, Maryland, George began his 
education in a one-room schoolhouse and excelled as an accomplished 
relay racer. Following the competition of his schooling, George was 
drafted into the United States Army, where he served in one of the 
first integrated units.
  After transitioning from the armed forces to civilian life, George 
continued his life of service at Dover Air Force Base in a career that 
spanned 33 years. His tenure began by offloading trucks in the Aerial 
Port section of the base and led to his serving as the Chief of Staff 
for the Civilian Personnel Office's Affirmative Employment Section, the 
second most senior non-military position at Dover.
  George was a dedicated public servant who built bridges and found 
common ground while serving for 12 years on the Smyrna Town Council. In 
1981, he overcame the odds by becoming mayor of Smyrna by twenty 
votes--making history as the first African American to lead a Delaware 
municipality. George dutifully served his town for 14 years as mayor 
and ran unopposed in every re-election race--highlighting the faith his 
community placed in him George's work in government inspired him to 
help Delaware's other 57 cities and towns through his role as executive 
director of the League of Local Governments and as a board member of 
the National League of Cities.
  George was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and great-
grandfather and was an active member of Bethel AME Church in Smyrna. He 
will be missed by family members, friends, and neighbors alike for his 
community leadership and the role model he became for young people 
across Delaware.
  We are deeply saddened by the loss of George, and I want to express 
my deep gratitude for his service to our state, commitment to bettering 
the lives of those he served, and for breaking down barriers that 
allowed me and many others to follow in his footsteps.

                          ____________________