[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 35, Number 39 (Monday, October 4, 1999)]
[Page 1833]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
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.