[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 148 (2002), Part 1]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 98]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                   IN MEMORIAL OF MR. EVERETTE SUITT

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                           HON. BOB ETHERIDGE

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                      Wednesday, January 23, 2002

  Mr. ETHERIDGE. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor the life of Mr. 
Everette Suitt, of Harnett County, who died on January 2, 2002. In his 
passing, Harnett County lost one of its most indefatigable champions. 
Born in Granville County, Mr. Suitt graduated from Boone Trail High 
School in Harnett County in 1950, served in the Army during the Korean 
War, and came home to become Boone Trail area's most outstanding 
community leader.
  Mr. Suitt was a 30-year member of the Boone Trail Advisory Board, was 
a member of the first Board of Directors of the Boone Trail Emergency 
Services, and was president of the Western Harnett High School Boosters 
Club from 1977 to 1995. He was a founding member of the Calvary Baptist 
Church and was a leading tobacco farmer and lifelong Democrat.
  Mr. Suitt is survived by his wife of 48 years, Ernestine O'Quinn 
Suitt, two daughters, Teresa S. Cummings of Mamers, and Carla S. Obiol 
and husband, his brother, John, of Raleigh; a sister, Lila Allen of 
Lillington and grandchildren, Allison and David Cummings, and their 
father, Lewis, all of Lillington, and Alexandra Obiol of Raleigh: and a 
brother-in-law, Harold Edwards of Rocky Mount.
  It was my honor to be asked to offer the following eulogy at the 
funeral of this good man:

       Everett Suitt was my friend, as he was yours. As we gather 
     here today, I hope we can suppress as best we can our sadness 
     at the loss of a good husband, father, grandfather, and 
     community leader and instead concentrate on the celebration 
     of Everette's life and contributions. They are many, and this 
     community and this county are a better place because this 
     good man lived among us.
       It has been said that God expects only this of each of us-
     that we take the world into which we are born and strive to 
     make it a better place in which to live. Everette Suitt 
     certainly did so and did so successfully. Everette loved life 
     and enjoyed it as few of us are privileged to do. He smiled 
     often and laughed long. He had a personality that made us 
     want to be around him, to talk with him, to laugh with him. 
     He was often the sunshine drawing us through dreary days.
       I knew Everette for more than 30 years; I don't remember a 
     single time when he was not trying to help me do the right 
     thing for our county and our state. He was one of the men who 
     served as an inspiration to me. I often sought his counsel.
       Everette Suitt loved his wife, his two daughters, his 
     grandchildren, and the grandchild on the way who sadly will 
     never know him except through the memories of others.
       Everette was a family man in the most pure sense of the 
     word. He loved sports, particularly the teams of Duke 
     University and the New York Yankees. He loved his community: 
     the old Boone Trail High School and, later, Western Harnett 
     High School. And he loved all the students who passed through 
     that school year after year.
       Can anyone imagine being president of the Western Harnett 
     Boosters Club for two or three years? Everette did that job 
     for 18 years and loved every minute of it.
       He loved his church and his community. He loved the 
     Democratic Party. And he served all three with loyalty, with 
     dedication, with humility, and with faith in God. While this 
     is a sad day for all of us, it would be wise of us to 
     remember the words of the great artist, Leonardo da Vinci, 
     who said on the death of a friend:
       ``As a well-spent day brings happy sleep, so a life well 
     used brings a happy death.''
       Certainly, Everette Suitt's life was well used. We are 
     saddened at the loss of this good man. As the poet John Donne 
     has reminded us:
       ``* * * any man's death diminishes me, because I am 
     involved in mankind. Therefore, never send to know for whom 
     the bell tolls. It tolls for thee.''
       Today, the bell tolls for us as Everette goes to his 
     heavenly home. But I would predict that Heaven today is a 
     happier place than it was a few days ago. That Everette is 
     rushing around greeting those who have gone on before and 
     renewing acquaintances. That his happy smile has already 
     endeared him to the Community of Angels. That he is already 
     volunteering to take on whatever job God feels needs doing to 
     improve the community.
       And even to suggest a few tasks himself.
       Goodbye, Good Friend.
       Amen.

       

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