[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 6]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 8074]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                    IN MEMORY OF MR. GENE BECKSTEIN

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. DOUG COLLINS

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 7, 2016

  Mr. COLLINS of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor the life 
of Mr. Gene Beckstein of Gainesville, Ga. Mr. Beckstein, also commonly 
known as `Mr. B', was an inspiration to the people of our community. In 
1989, he founded a mission for the homeless known as ``Good News at 
Noon''. Good News at Noon provides meals for dozens of men, women, and 
children, while also providing beds for 20 homeless men in our 
community. This mission also operates as a food pantry, providing more 
than 100 boxes of food a week, and offers summer school programs for 
children. This faith based ministry depends purely on the generosity of 
others, and `Mr. B' was a great servant of the Lord. He was a Christ-
like man who loved everyone equally. His work with the homeless 
community inspired people across Gainesville and Hall County to 
volunteer. Mr. Beckstein creates a meals program, such as Good News at 
Noon, because he was once homeless himself. He turned his life around 
when his high school baseball coach convinced him to use the GI Bill to 
fund his college education. `Mr. B' went on to attend New York 
University, where he earned two master's degrees and spent the next 37 
years teaching in the public school system. After retiring from his 
teaching career, Mr. Beckstein and his wife Margie began serving food 
to the homeless and later founded Good News at Noon. `Mr. B' will be 
remembered for his humble-spirit, his inviting loving personality, and 
his ability to fulfill people with hope.

                          ____________________