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“TRIBUTE TO JERRY HOWELL” mentioning the U.S. Dept. of Transportation was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E2044 on Sept. 27, 2008.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
TRIBUTE TO JERRY HOWELL
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HON. TOM LATHAM
of iowa
in the house of representatives
Thursday, September 25, 2008
Mr. LATHAM. Madam Speaker, I rise to recognize the retirement of Jerry Howell, organist at the Maxwell Church of the Brethren and Loring United Methodist Church of Maxwell, Iowa, and to express my appreciation for his dedication and commitment to his church and community.
For the past 50 years, Jerry has contributed his time and talents to his church community. He began piano lessons at the age of 11. In 1958, the organist at Santiago Methodist Church in rural Mitchellville retired, and at the age of 14, Jerry was called up to the organ bench. In 1989, Jerry and his wife Opal transferred their church membership to Loring United Methodist Church in rural Maxwell, Iowa. The organist at Loring retired, and Jerry was back on the organ bench. For the past 10 years, he was the organist for both Loring and Maxwell Church of the Brethren.
It is estimated that in the past 50 years, Jerry has played for 2,700 Sunday morning services, 120 funerals and 25 weddings. Unfortunately, Jerry's career has been cut short with his diagnosis of age-related macular degeneration that has caused blurry vision that makes reading and playing the music difficult. Although he no longer plays the organ at church, the memories of Jerry's musical contributions live on, and he continues to be an active member of his community.
Beyond retiring from his service at church, Jerry also retired from his job as an accounting technician at the Iowa Department of Transportation a year and a half ago, and he has taken the opportunity to travel around the country while his vision remains strong enough. I consider it an honor to represent Jerry Howell in the United States Congress, and I wish him a long, happy and healthy retirement as he continues to serve his community and travel around the country.
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