    [Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: WILLIAM J. CLINTON (1999, Book II)]
    [September 27, 1999]
    [Page 1611]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office www.gpo.gov]

    [[Page 1611]]

    Statement on the Death of Oseola McCarty
    September 27, 1999

        Hillary and I were saddened to learn of the passing of Oseola
    McCarty of Hattiesburg, Mississippi. Ms. McCarty is a true American
    hero. In 1995 she donated $150,000 to the University of Southern
    Mississippi for scholarships for needy students. The extraordinary thing
    about this gift was that Ms. McCarty accumulated the money from working
    75 years washing and ironing people's clothes.
        I had the pleasure of awarding this extraordinary woman the
    Presidential Citizens' Medal for her extraordinary act of generosity.
    While we mourn her passing, Oseola McCarty's commitment to the dignity
    of work, her belief in the power of education, and her extraordinary
    generosity ensure that her memory will live on for generations to come.
    Our country needs more people like her, who don't just talk about
    responsibility and community but who live those values everyday.