[Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 80 (Tuesday, May 13, 2025)]
[House]
[Pages H1953-H1954]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 HONORING NONNIE ALVIS ``WHITEY'' SMITH

  (Mr. Womack of Arkansas was recognized to address the House for 5 
minutes.)
  Mr. WOMACK. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor and remember Nonnie 
Alvis ``Whitey'' Smith of Rogers, Arkansas, who passed away on April 
25, 2025, at the age of 88.
  Anyone with connections to the athletic programs at Rogers High 
School either knew him personally or fully recognized what he has meant 
to Mountie athletics. No one I know or have ever known has done more 
for the program--not a coach, not a player, not anyone.
  It all started back in the 1950s when Whitey himself was a Rogers 
Mountie. Playing tackle on the football team, he was the team's most 
valuable player in 1955. In that same year, he became the first from 
Rogers to play in the Arkansas All Star football game.

[[Page H1954]]

  While his athletic pursuits were quite enough to make him a Rogers 
Mountie Hall of Famer, his greatest contributions, Madam Speaker, came 
over the next nearly 70 years as a friend of the program.
  First, it was as a volunteer, working with and for the program to 
make sure every athlete had what they needed to succeed. The passion 
was intense. The ingredient? Chicken. Yes, chicken.

  For 55 years, Whitey's Chicken Cookin' Crew gathered at a pit near 
the tracks on Locust Street, and over that span raised an estimated 
$1.5 million. The aroma emanating from the pit had a unique and 
mysterious way of slowing traffic to a halt. Passersby knew two things: 
Five bucks would get you a delicious meal, and those dollars would flow 
right back into the community. Like Whitey always said: It is for the 
kids.
  Whitey Smith was also a businessman, having owned and operated Ozark 
Fence Company for over 50 years. The headquarters was a favorite 
gathering place for those in his circle. The potluck events were a 
regular happening. It became a who's who of the community who joined in 
the fun.
  I also knew when I drove down Cherry Street and saw his pickup 
between the tracks and the shop, Whitey was there, likely planning his 
next benefit.
  Madam Speaker, I know that in every community big and small there are 
individuals who have a special fondness for serving. In Rogers, that 
guy was Whitey Smith.
  Inducted into the Rogers High School Hall of Fame in 1990, he was a 
staple in the community, and today the football stadium and a 
scholarship bear his name.
  Whitey was well into his public service when I played against Rogers 
in the 1970s, but after moving to Rogers in 1979 and for 12 years as 
its mayor, I can attest to the tireless and selfless work of this 
pillar of the community.
  It is my high honor to recognize him here on the floor of the House 
of Representatives for his contributions to the kids and his personal 
example.
  To Janice, Becky, Tim, and his extended family, our heartfelt sorrow 
for their loss. May Nonnie Alvis ``Whitey'' Smith rest in eternal 
peace. May his legacy of service and compassion always inspire and be 
remembered.

{time}  1230

                          ____________________