[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 86 (Wednesday, May 22, 2019)]
[House]
[Page H4069]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               CELEBRATING THE LIFE OF GARY LEE MITCHELL

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
South Carolina (Mr. Norman) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. NORMAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the life of Gary 
Lee Mitchell, who passed away on March 13, 2019.
  Gary was born in Jacksonville, Illinois, and was the son of the late 
Eldred Dale Mitchell and the late Mary Green McGath. Gary served in the 
United States Navy from 1965 to 1972 aboard the USS Nathaniel Green 
submarine as a nuclear reactor operator.
  Gary worked with Duke Energy for 43 years, where he was known as the 
resident expert in the field of nuclear energy and oversaw mentoring 
new interns coming into the field. Gary was awarded the prestigious 
J.B. Duke Award, which recognized his career knowledge of how to react 
to critical situations in saving a coworker from serious injury or 
death.
  Gary lived a life of service to others and voluntarily joined many 
organizations, including the American Legion in 1972, where he served 
as district commander at the South Carolina Department American Legion. 
He served as zone commander and all vice commander levels. On June 2, 
at the 94th annual convention held in Greenville, South Carolina, Gary 
was elected department commander of the South Carolina American Legion 
Department.
  Gary was married to Marlene A. Mitchell for over 50 years and had two 
daughters, Stephanie and Stacy, and his grandchildren, Victoria, 
Alexandria, and Mitchell Friel. In describing what type of husband Gary 
Mitchell was to his wife, Marlene, she stated that ``he was her best 
friend and was the kindest person she ever knew.''
  The world is a better and kinder place because of the life of Gary 
Lee Mitchell, and he was a man who served his God, his family, and his 
country.

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