[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 106 (Tuesday, June 25, 2024)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E659]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




         HONORING THE LIFE OF THERESA ERNESTINE RICHARDSON POPE

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. TIMOTHY M. KENNEDY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 25, 2024

  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the extraordinary 
life of Theresa Ernestine Richardson Pope. A trailblazing educator, 
passionate leader, and loving family member, Mrs. Pope was a guiding 
light in our community and changed the lives of many.
  Born on January 8, 1944, in Somerset, Kentucky, Mrs. Pope was raised 
by her maternal grandparents, Reverend Robert Mae and Sarah Jane 
Owsley, and in the loving company of her cousins, whom she considered 
her siblings. In the early 1960s, Mrs. Pope attended Somerset High 
School, becoming one of the first Black students to integrate the 
school. Mrs. Pope attended Kentucky State University, where she met her 
husband, Jerry D. Pope, Sr. In December 1965, the two were married and 
moved to Buffalo to continue their education at Buffalo State College. 
Here, Mrs. Pope earned her Bachelor's Degree, Master's Degrees, and 
Certificate in School District Administration and Educational 
Supervision.
  Mrs. Pope dedicated her career to public education, serving as an 
English Language Arts teacher at various Buffalo public schools. She 
became the first African American woman to serve as an Assistant 
Principal at Seneca Vocational High School and later went on to become 
the Assistant Principal at Hutchinson Central Technical High School. 
After 33 years of dedicated service in the Buffalo Public School 
System, Mrs. Pope entered a well-deserved retirement.
  Beyond the classroom, Mrs. Pope was passionate about serving her 
community in numerous capacities. As a Golden Soror of Alpha Kappa 
Alpha Sorority and a member of the Buffalo Gamma Phi Omega Chapter, 
Mrs. Pope worked to strengthen the sorority's community relations both 
locally and nationally. In her retirement, Mrs. Pope continued to 
advocate for better educational policies through her leadership with 
the Buffalo Retired Teachers and the Buffalo Retired Administrators 
Association. Mrs. Pope's exceptional commitment to community service 
earned her numerous awards from the Second Temple Baptist Church and 
the NAACP.
  Today, Mrs. Pope is remembered as a loving mother of two, grandmother 
of six, and great-grandmother of four. Please join me in honoring 
Theresa Ernestine Richardson Pope for her lifetime of service and her 
commitment to making education a reality for all.

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