[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 90 (Thursday, May 30, 2019)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E687-E688]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               HONORING THE LIFE OF JOYCE HOWARD PITTMAN

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. KENNY MARCHANT

                                of texas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 30, 2019

  Mr. MARCHANT. Madam Speaker, I rise today to ask all of my colleagues 
to join me in honoring the life and legacy of Joyce Howard Pittman of 
Irving, Texas.
  Born in Dallas, Texas on August 31, 1940, Joyce Howard Pittman had a 
passion for family and serving others from a young age. Growing up in 
the Dallas suburb of Rylie, Texas, Joyce spent many days working in the 
fields as the child of a farmer. Her father, O.B. Howard, and mother, 
Thelma Louis Hiser Howard, worked to instill in her the values of hard 
work and personal responsibility. From early on, it was clear that 
Joyce was a natural servant leader and entrepreneur.
  In June 1958, Joyce met Clyde Pittman at the Dallas Farmers Market, 
just south of downtown Dallas. Clyde and Joyce were married almost 61 
years and together they had two children, Craig Howard Pittman and 
Clarissa Dawn Pittman Lindsey. While Clyde served in the United States 
Air Force, Joyce traveled with him on assignment to destinations 
including Omaha, Nebraska and San Angelo, Texas. Their growing family 
soon settled in Irving, Texas where Joyce began to engage in local 
politics. She was one of the founders of the Irving Republican Women's 
Club where she served in various capacities and leadership roles. 
Additionally, Joyce served as a Republican Party Precinct Chair in 
Dallas County and was a fixture at election time in her neighborhood 
where she walked blocks and made phone calls for local, state, and 
national candidates.
  In April of 1974, at the age of 33, Joyce was elected to the Irving 
City Council. Joyce was the first woman ever elected to the city 
council and helped pave the way for many women leaders in Irving and 
the North Texas community that would follow her. Throughout Joyce's 
time serving as a councilmember, she was known as a consensus builder 
and a champion of good government. Following her service on the city 
council, Joyce joined the North Texas Commission as a consultant. 
Again, serving as the first woman in this role, Joyce worked to foster 
economic prosperity in the North Texas region.
  Throughout her life, Joyce had an entrepreneurial spirit. As a small 
business owner, Joyce operated a residential building business which 
thrived during significant growth in the Dallas-Fort Worth area during 
the 1980s. In the late 1990s, Joyce and Clyde took over an Odessa, 
Texas telecommunications company, DMJ Communications. Joyce served as 
the COO and commuted weekly from Irving to operate the organization.
  In 2012, Joyce was diagnosed with multiple myeloma. During Joyce's 
battle, she remained

[[Page E688]]

an eternal optimist by confronting the challenge with grace and 
fortitude. Up until her passing, Joyce continued to do the things she 
enjoyed the most including spending time with her family and 
grandchildren, attending Plymouth Park United Methodist Church, and 
making phone calls for her favorite local candidates.
  Madam Speaker, I extend sincere condolences to the Pittman family and 
I ask all of my colleagues to join me in honoring the life and legacy 
of Joyce Howard Pittman.

                          ____________________