[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 1]
[House]
[Page 1169]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        HONORING RUTH SAMUELSON

  (Mr. PITTENGER asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PITTENGER. Madam Speaker, I rise today in memory of Ruth 
Samuelson, a long-time leader in the North Carolina House of 
Representatives and a former member of the Mecklenburg County 
Commission. Ruth is now in Heaven following a courageous battle with 
ovarian cancer.
  Ruth infused her faith in God in all aspects of her family, 
political, personal, and civic life. Because of her vibrant faith and 
commitment to focusing on what truly matters, Ruth was known as a 
thoughtful mediator throughout her tenure in the North Carolina House, 
someone who approached tense, partisan issues with grace, yet never 
backed away from her convictions.
  In 2013, Ruth was in line for a top leadership role, but instead, she 
walked away, choosing instead to focus on her passions for family, 
faith, and philanthropy. Ruth's last public statement was: ``I want 
people to know that God is my good friend.''
  May the Lord bring comfort to her husband, Ken; to her children, 
Bobby, David, Joy, and Alex; her four grandchildren; and the countless 
lives that she touched.

                          ____________________