[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 157 (2011), Part 9]
[House]
[Page 12174]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                          IN MEMORY OF ED BELL

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentleman from 
Georgia (Mr. Westmoreland) for 5 minutes.
  Mr. WESTMORELAND. Mr. Speaker, I come to the House floor to remember 
a great friend of mine who passed away last Tuesday. Thomaston City 
Councilman Ed Bell was a huge presence in Georgia and a devoted 
cheerleader for both Upson County, the city of Thomaston, and me.
  Ed's life of tireless service started when he entered the U.S. Navy 
as an aviation ordnance man for 4 years during the Korean conflict. He 
continued with a sense of duty as an agent with State Farm Insurance, 
where he worked for 33 years and became a mentor for every State Farm 
agent under his direction. He was an agent's agent. The people that he 
insured knew that Ed was their agent and that he was there to protect 
their interest.
  Ed was serving his fourth term on the Thomaston City Council and was 
truly dedicated to improving the lives of those in his community. If I 
ever found myself within 25 miles of Thomaston and made the mistake of 
not calling Ed, you can bet that he would somehow find out, and I would 
get an earful over the phone for not coming by to see him. And when you 
came to visit, you had to be sure to set enough time for Ed to 
introduce you to everyone in town, even though he had already done it 
many times before.
  Even in the years later, Ed could wear a much younger man out with 
his enthusiasm for showing visitors around his beloved city, taking 
them through the courthouse and around the city square. Ed really was 
``Mr. Thomaston.'' He was serving on my district's Small Business 
Committee as well as serving on the Thomaston-Upson Arts Council, the 
Upson County School Board, the Lions Club, and as a deacon at First 
Baptist Church of Thomaston. In recognition of all of Ed's work, he was 
rewarded the well-deserved Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009 from the 
Thomaston Chamber of Commerce. There is a laundry list of groups 
impacted by Ed's energy, and his involvement could never be replaced or 
forgotten by anyone.
  The dedication Ed showed to his community pales in comparison to his 
dedication to family. My thoughts and prayers continue to be with 
Patricia, Ed's wife of 55 years; his three children, Dick, Debbie, and 
Nancy; and his six grandchildren, one of whom, William, is currently 
serving as an intern in my Newnan office. I cannot adequately express, 
Mr. Speaker, how grateful I am to Ed and his family for all that he has 
done for Georgia and for me.
  So, Ed, until we meet again, we all miss you.

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