[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 9]
[Senate]
[Page 12615]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  REMEMBERING ELIJAH ``YOCKIE'' DeLEE

 Mr. SCOTT. Mr. President, today I would like to take a moment 
to recognize and honor the life of a great South Carolinian and 
American veteran, Mr. Elijah ``Yockie'' DeLee, who departed this life 
on July 20, 2017.
  Elijah was a lifelong resident of Dorchester County, SC, where he 
worked tirelessly as a beloved deacon at Surprise Baptist Church. He 
was drafted into the Vietnam war shortly after graduating high school 
and showed perseverance until he was honorably discharged. He possessed 
an entrepreneurial spirit and followed his passion for drag racing to 
help open South Carolina's first minority-owned dragway: Dorchester 
Dragway. He continued his business endeavors with the opening of DeLee 
One Trucking Company, still a staple in Dorchester today. In success, 
Elijah always exemplified respect, humility, and generosity.
  For many in Dorchester, he will be remembered for his relentless 
spirit, tenacity for life, and heart for people. He never met a 
stranger and was always eager to lend a helping hand. Yockie loved and 
adored his family, and next to God and his faith, they were always his 
top priority in life. He was a true provider, mediator, demonstrator, 
and imitator of Godly character. He will surely be missed among family, 
friends, and the community of Dorchester as a great American and South 
Carolinian.

                          ____________________