[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 182 (Friday, October 23, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E984-E985]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    LORRAINE KNUTH'S 100TH BIRTHDAY

                                 ______
                                 

                      HON. BRADLEY SCOTT SCHNEIDER

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                        Friday, October 23, 2020

  Mr. SCHNEIDER. Madam Speaker, I am most proud today to rise today to 
recognize Ms. Lorraine Knuth, a long-time resident of Waukegan, 
Illinois, who will celebrate her 100th birthday on October 31.
  I first met Lorraine through Mary Carmody at Midwest Veterans Closet 
where she has volunteered for many years. In honor of her centenary 
year, Lorraine has asked for donations to be made to Midwest Veterans 
Closet to help her construct a new building and expand their service 
capacity to our men and women veterans in the area.
  To mark her lifetime of service, I wish to share Lorraine's life 
story today, for it clearly embodies so much of the opportunity, 
perseverance, and sacrifice that makes her and our nation so special.
  Lorraine was born on October 31, 1920, in Langlade, Wisconsin, the 
seventh of nine children. She excelled in school, entering high school 
a year early. During the Second World War, Lorraine enlisted in the 
U.S. Army as part of the Women's Army Corps. After basic training at 
Daytona Beach, Florida, she headed west to Camp Stoneman in northern 
California. She served there until the war ended, working in the camp 
hospital as a Special Diet Cook.
  After the war, Lorraine met her husband and travelled the world 
through his military service. She decided to move to Waukegan after 
visiting her late sister, who was already living in the area. She has 
lived in the same house for

[[Page E985]]

more than sixty years, where she raised her three sons. Today, Lorraine 
is both a proud grandmother and great-grandmother.
  Lorraine is a longtime volunteer with Midwest Veterans Closet, and 
now serves as the organization's Chair. Midwest Veterans Closet 
provides food, clothing, and other household items for veterans of all 
ages in the local area, all free of charge. Employment and housing 
assistance are also offered at no expense as well.
  In addition to her incredible work at Midwest Veterans Closet, in 
2017, Lorraine was just the fourth woman veteran to participate the 
Lake County Honor Flight trip to Washington, D.C. In 2019, she was one 
of a select group of women veterans to be honored by the James A. 
Lovell Federal Health Care Center Annual Women Veterans Lunch.
  I wholeheartedly congratulate Lorraine Knuth on her 100th birthday 
and thank her for her service to our community and nation.

                          ____________________