[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 99 (Wednesday, June 7, 2023)]
[House]
[Pages H2774-H2775]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                   HONORING THE LIFE OF DWIGHT KESSEL

  (Mr. BURCHETT asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. BURCHETT. Mr. Speaker, I rise to honor the life of former Knox 
County Executive Dwight Kessel, who passed away on June 3 at the age of 
96.
  Dwight was born to Wayne and Edith Kessel and grew up in Beckley, 
West Virginia. After serving in the United States Navy during World War 
II, he came back to Knoxville and graduated from the University of 
Tennessee with a degree in industrial engineering.
  Dwight started his political career in 1963 by serving on the 
Knoxville City Council, then as Knox County clerk, and eventually 
became the Knox County executive in 1980, which is the position we now 
call the Knox County mayor.

[[Page H2775]]

  He also worked with a whole lot of charity organizations, including 
the YMCA, Boys and Girls Club of the Tennessee Valley, Boy Scouts of 
America, and National Conference of Christians and Jews.
  He was a family man who loved the Lord and was a longtime member of 
the First Baptist Church of Knoxville, where he was a trustee for 15 
years, served as a deacon, and faithfully taught Sunday school.

  Behind me right here is a picture of all the Knox County mayors who 
went to last year's Knox County budget address--myself, Mayor 
Schumpert, Mayor Jacobs, and Mayor Ragsdale, and Mayor Kessel is down 
on the bottom.
  I know we are all thankful for Dwight's work that paved the way for 
Knox County mayors who followed him, including myself.
  My wife and I are praying for Dwight's family. He will be greatly 
missed by our community in Knox County.

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