[Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 70 (Tuesday, April 21, 2026)]
[House]
[Page H3003]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      HONORING EDWARD HERNDON, SR.

  (Mr. Kennedy of New York was recognized to address the House for 5 
minutes.)
  Mr. KENNEDY of New York. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a 
remarkable western New Yorker and my good friend, Edward Herndon, Sr., 
who passed away on April 19, 2026, at the age of 95.
  Ed's life was defined by service to our country, our community, and 
his family.
  Born in Kings Mountain, North Carolina, on November 10, 1930, to 
Hubert and Anna B. Herndon, Ed's journey led him to Washington, D.C., 
and then to western New York, where he would leave an indelible mark on 
our community and everyone he met.
  From an early age, Ed embodied the values of hard work, integrity, 
and faith in action.
  After graduating from Lackawanna High School, he answered the call to 
serve and enlisted in the United States Air Force. Ed served with 
distinction during two tours in Korea and Japan between 1946 and 1950, 
and he continued his service as an Air Force reservist until 1956.
  Ed's devotion to our country did not end when he hung up his uniform. 
At home, he found new ways to serve. He worked with the United States 
Postal Service, Western Electric, and the city of Buffalo, where his 
skills and leadership earned him appointment as director of real estate 
in 1957, a position he held for 16 years.
  Ed later served on the city Board of Assessment Review, where his 
approach said everything about him. He was knowledgeable, committed, 
and, above all, fair. He understood that property assessment is not 
just a number. It is a real consequence for a family or a senior on a 
fixed income, and he never forgot that.
  That sense of humanity was rooted in his faith. For decades, Ed was 
an active and devoted member of his congregation at St. Philip's 
Episcopal Church. Faith wasn't just something he professed. It was the 
life he lived. It showed in his integrity, his honesty, and his 
extraordinary ability to connect with people.
  Those who knew Ed the most will remember he had a rare gift for 
making friends, and he used it generously. Everywhere he went, 
friendships followed. Whether it was a next-door neighbor, a mail 
carrier, a police officer, or a Member of Congress, Ed greeted everyone 
with the same sincerity and respect, a big, friendly hello, a genuine 
smile, and often a welcoming hug.
  My own family knew this firsthand. My parents first met Ed at a St. 
Patrick's Day party, and a friendship was born that lasted decades.
  When my father served as the Buffalo commissioner of assessment and 
taxation, he worked alongside Ed on the Board of Assessment Review. He 
told me Ed was one of the finest examples of a public servant he had 
ever witnessed, a man who brought his full character to the job and was 
beyond reproach.
  Ed never missed a chance to celebrate life, either. Whether it was 
the Juneteenth Festival, Dyngus Day, or St. Patrick's Day, Ed was there 
to celebrate with his fellow Buffalonians.
  Nothing captured that spirit better than his 90th birthday, which was 
right in the middle of the COVID shutdown. What unfolded was a drive-up 
celebration unlike any other. Friends, colleagues, and loved ones from 
every corner of his life lined up to pass by, wave, and wish him well. 
There was Ed, sitting at the curb, greeting every single car with that 
same infectious smile, that same wave, celebrating right back. It 
wasn't a birthday party as much as a testament to a life well-lived.
  As extraordinary a servant as he was to the public, Ed's proudest 
legacy was his family. In 1956, he married the love of his life, Jean 
Ruth Watts. Together for 58 years, they built a beautiful family. He 
was father to seven children--Gladys, Brian, Eric, Joan, Edward Jr., 
Michael, and Gina--grandfather to 9, and great-grandfather to 18.
  Edward Herndon was the very definition of a public servant, patriot, 
husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and leader who gave 
back more than he ever asked for in return. His story is one of deep 
devotion and quiet strength, and it serves as a reminder--a challenge--
of what it looks like to live fully and give generously.
  Through his service to our country, his dedication to western New 
York, and the boundless love he poured into his family and community, 
Edward Herndon's legacy will live on in our hearts as a shining example 
of our Nation's highest ideals.
  Mr. Speaker, on behalf of a grateful community and a grateful nation, 
may Edward Herndon, Sr., rest in peace. We loved him.

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