[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 9]
[Senate]
[Pages 12397-12398]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                  OUTSTANDING STUDENT--COURTENAY BURT

 Mr. BURNS. Mr. President, I rise today to acknowledge the 
achievements of an outstanding student from Kalispell, Montana. The 
Montana chapter of the American Association of University Women 
sponsors an annual essay contests for students in grades 11 and 12. The 
topic of the essays was ``Women in Montana History.''
  Courtenay Burt, an Eleventh Grader at Bigfork High School, had her 
essay chosen as the best of all submitted in Montana. She writes about 
her grandmother, a woman of integrity and wisdom who died when 
Courtenay was only eight months old. Her essay tells us the story of a 
woman who grew up during the Great Depression, survived the often harsh 
climate of Montana, raised a family, earned the respect of her 
community, and maintained a healthy sense of humor throughout it all.
  I ask that Courtenay Burt's essay ``Big Mama'' be printed in the 
Record.
  The essay follows:

                              ``Old Mama''

                          (By Courtenay Burt)

       ``Dear Courtenay, I wish you could only know how much I had 
     looked forward to watching you grow up, but I guess that just 
     wasn't meant to be. Not to worry, though--we'll get better 
     acquainted later.'' My grandmother, who was affectionately 
     referred to as ``Old Mama,'' wrote those words in a shaky 
     hand just before she passed away in 1982. I was eight months 
     old, then, and so I have no memories of her; instead I've 
     borrowed the memories of those who knew and lover her, as I 
     wish I could have. Through reminiscing with those close to 
     her, I have discovered the courageous, colorful woman

[[Page 12398]]

     my grandmother was and I have begun to paint a picture in my 
     mind.
       ``Old Mama,'' was born Mary Katherine Emmert on February 7, 
     1918, in Kalispell, Montana. From an early age, it was 
     apparent she would make her own decisions, and her strong 
     will served her well. Using her active imagination, young 
     Mary reportedly kept her parents as a full gallop.
       Mary's adolescent years might have been similar to any of 
     ours, but they were marked by the hardships of the Great 
     Depression, which began in 1929. ``Old Mama'' actually was 
     one of those children who walked three miles to school in a 
     blizzard. Like many, young Mary was eager to grow up. ``You 
     always look up to the next step and think how grown up you 
     would feel to be there, but when you get there, you don't 
     feel any different than you ever did. I have found this to be 
     the way with life,'' she stated in a paper for her English 
     class at Flathead County High School.
       As a young woman, Mary lived the American Dream: She 
     married Tommy Riedel, a local boy, and they eventually had 
     two children. The couple worked side by side building a home 
     on family farmland south of Kalispell, and the years that 
     followed were typical for a young family of the '50's: Tommy 
     worked while Mary raised the children. There were 
     neighborhood events, outdoors activities, and there were 
     always the joys of the farm life. My mother recalls horseback 
     rides with Old Mama on those long-ago summer evenings, dusk 
     falling hazy and pink as they loped the long fields home.
       Old Mama was a constant and steady support for her 
     children. At one time she drove all the way to Nebraska to 
     watch my mother compete in the National track finals. 
     ``During those teen years, it was her never-failing presence 
     more than her words that assured me of her love,'' my mother 
     once wrote.
       After Tommy had a sudden heart attack in his mid-forties 
     and became disabled, Mary did not sit helplessly by. She 
     inventoried her skills and went to work in Kalispell, 
     becoming a legal secretary. She took great pride in her work. 
     Years later, when it was fashionable for women to have more 
     grandiose plans, my mother once made the mistake of remarking 
     that she intended to be more than ``just a secretary.'' Old 
     Mama gathered herself to full indignation and retorted that, 
     indeed, Christ had been ``just a carpenter.''
       Eventually, hard work and commitment opened a door for Mary 
     Riedel. When the Justice of the Peace fell ill--for whom 
     she'd been ``just a secretary''--Mary was appointed to act in 
     his place. From all accounts, the job was perfect for her. 
     ``Old Mama,'' had an uncanny ability to discern people's 
     character and it served her well, as did her dry sense of 
     humor. On one occasion, Mary intercepted a note that a 
     previous offender had written to a friend who was due to 
     appear in her court.
       ``Watch out for Mary Redneck,'' the note cautioned; it went 
     on to complain of a substantial fine and a stern lecture. As 
     Judge Mary read the note, all eyes were riveted on her. 
     Slowly, Mary began to smile. Then she was laughing-tear 
     streaming, gut-wrenching laughter. She returned the note to 
     offender with the notation: ``Sorry. This seems to have 
     gotten misdirected. Best wishes, Judge Mary Redneck.''
       So often, in the shadow of life's triumphs come the cruel, 
     unexpected twists. My grandmother was diagnosed with terminal 
     cancer only a few years after being elected Justice of the 
     Peace. Determined to battle the disease, she struggled to 
     survive the ravages of chemotherapy. With all of her heart 
     she fought, until she could see that it was time to give in 
     with grace.
       On the last evening, she gathered her family together. ``I 
     told God I wanted ten more years,'' she said, that wry smile 
     still working the corners of her mouth. ``But when you're 
     dealing with Him . . . you have to compromise a little.'' To 
     the end, Old Mama was indomitable.
       On April 14, 1982, Mary Riedel was layed to rest. Although 
     she is not here in person, herspirit lives on in the hearts 
     of those who loved her; her strength, faith, and courage fire 
     my imagination and warm my heart. Mary Riedel was a woman to 
     be admired and remembered, and I am proud that she was my 
     grandmother. She showed us how to live . . . and when the 
     time came, she showed us how to die.


                              works cited

       Beers, Burton F., World History: Patterns of Civilization: 
     Prentice Hall; Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey; Needham, 
     Massachusetts; Updated Edition, 1993.
       The Bible, New International Version as written by the 
     Apostles.
       Burt, Justin, ``Mary Riedel: An Influencing Force in 
     Montana History,'' Women of Montana Essays 1991-1995; 
     American Association of University Women; Kalispell, Montana 
     1996.
       Burt, Kathleen, ``Remembering Mary Redneck,'' an 
     unpublished paper.
       Burt, Kathleen, A personal interview.
       Riedel, Mary, ``Pat,'' an unpublished 
     autobiography.

                          ____________________