[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 106 (Wednesday, June 22, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H5742-H5743]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            CELEBRATING THE LIFE AND WORK OF MARY E. WHEELER

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
New York (Ms. Tenney) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. TENNEY. Madam Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the life and 
work of my dear friend, Mrs. Mary E. Wheeler of Yorkville, New York.
  I came to know Mary in a role no one ever wishes to have, that of a 
Gold Star mother. Mary's son, Private First Class Joseph Keith Wheeler, 
a United States marine, was killed in combat on March 31, 1968, in 
Quang Tri Province in Vietnam, at just 18 years old.
  Mary and her family were devastated by the loss of Joseph. But 
through Mary's pain, she found great purpose to support other Gold Star 
mothers and their families, as well as Active-Duty members, veterans, 
and their loved ones.
  Mary was active until the day she passed in the American Gold Star 
Mothers Chapter 56 in Utica, New York. This led to Mary being national 
president of the American Gold Star Mothers from 1999 through 2000, 
meeting Gold Star mothers and families from across this Nation and 
interacting with political leaders of both parties in Washington for 
commonsense policy to support veterans and their families, especially 
those who paid the ultimate sacrifice, like her dear son, Joseph.
  Mary was heavily involved in other veteran service organizations, 
such as The American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Military Order 
of the Purple Heart Auxiliary, and countless other organizations in our 
community, including the Whitestown Senior Center and the Salvation 
Army, which she supported her entire life.
  Mary was also dedicated to her family: her late husband, Charles; her 
children; grandchildren; and great-grandchildren. Mary's great-
grandson, Shaun, and her great-granddaughter, Skylar, have a special 
place in my heart as Skylar's grandmother, Felicia, was my longtime 
administrative assistant for over 25 years. They all were a very 
important part of my life, and I considered them family. So I had 
another connection to Mary through her great-grandchildren.
  Words cannot do justice to the many contributions by Mary throughout 
her

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great life, the many lives she has touched, including the mothers and 
the families she supported. It was an honor and a privilege to get to 
know Mary, not only through the great work she has done, but to know 
what a genuine person and kind soul she was and a wonderful mother, 
grandmother, and great-grandmother.

  Mary will be an inspiration to all of us for so many years to come, 
and her hard work and dedication will be felt by veterans and their 
families for generations not just in our community, but throughout the 
Nation for her great work and devotion to this cause.
  My sincerest condolences to Mary's family and her friends, and 
everyone in our community for this difficult time in losing Mary, who 
was a wonderful, honored member of our community.

                          ____________________