[Congressional Record Volume 169, Number 197 (Thursday, November 30, 2023)]
[House]
[Page H5996]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      COMMEMORATING THE LIFE AND SERVICE OF MRS. SUE NELL BOENKER

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Texas (Mr. Fallon) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. FALLON. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate the life and 
service of Mrs. Sue Nell Boenker of Fort Worth, Texas, who passed away 
October 16, 2021.
  Mrs. Boenker was a dedicated mother, grandmother, and a stalwart 
Christian. She was married to a dear friend of mine, Al Boenker, who is 
really one of the most magnificent human beings I have ever had the 
good fortune to encounter.
  Mrs. Boenker was born on April 27, 1949, in Hot Springs, Arkansas. On 
December 5, 1970, she married Al Boenker, and they lived together and 
had a very happy marriage for over a half century.
  Sue Boenker personified the American Dream. In 1998, she started her 
own Allstate Insurance Agency firm and quickly became one of the 
largest firms in the State of Texas. She continued to operate it 
successfully for many years. Without a doubt, she was an inspirational 
role for many people and many entrepreneurs, in particular, in the 
north Texas area and beyond.
  Mrs. Boenker was also an exemplary member of her community and a 
leader in the business world. She was a devoted woman of faith, who 
never hesitated to pray for the health and well-being of others. She 
was very selfless. Those that knew her knew that she was incredibly 
gracious and very generous with her wealth, but also--and far more 
importantly--her time.

  Beyond that of a familial nature, she was dedicated to human service. 
She will forever be remembered in the hearts and minds of those 
individuals that she cared for and served.
  Mr. Speaker, I requested that a U.S. flag be flown over our Nation's 
Capitol to recognize the wonderful American life that Sue Boenker led. 
She always put God first. She put her country first. She put her family 
first. She put her friends first.
  Mr. Speaker, I know that she has been sorely missed. Al Boenker lost 
his soulmate 2 years ago.
  Al is a great salesman and is a self-made guy. He has done incredibly 
well and is very generous. The reason for his success was Sue and the 
virtues that they shared, which were honesty, integrity, and loyalty.
  Do you know what we are all striving for in our lives?
  It doesn't matter if it is personal, political, professional, we are 
searching and striving for authenticity and for people to be genuine. 
That is one of the reasons why so many people do succeed in business, 
you have to have these virtues in place. Al Boenker has those. He 
touches the lives of the folks that he encounters in such a tremendous 
and magnificent way.
  For me, he is not only a dear friend, a mentor, and really an 
inspiration to recognize and make sure you put family first and to make 
sure you represent, as a Member of this august Chamber, 767,000 people. 
You have to serve them. That is what Al Boenker did. That is why he was 
so successful. Not only did he make great commercials, but he gave 
great rates and helped people a little bit more when they needed home, 
auto, or life insurance. He was there and people trusted him.

                              {time}  1130

  I just wanted to take this moment, Mr. Speaker, to recognize the loss 
that Al Boenker suffered when his wife, Sue, left the surly bonds of 
this Earth.
  I think the greatest compliment any one of us can pay to another 
person is to look them in the eye and say, the world is a better place 
because you are in it.
  The world was certainly a better place when Sue Boenker was in it, 
and the world is a better place because Al is still with us.
  Mr. Speaker, God bless the Boenker family, and God bless Texas.

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