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MR. SPEAKER, in East Prairie, Missouri, there is no more well-known or better-loved gentleman than Teddy "Pillar of Truth" Bennett. Across our nation, many fine Americans have met Mr. Bennett and he has had a great effect on their lives. I am certainly one of them.
Mr. Bennett was born in the spring of 1930. He grew up on the banks of the wild and mighty Mississippi River. The usual entree in his Depression-era lunch was a gravy sandwich. Mr. Bennett served our nation in the Korean war in the U.S. Army. When he returned, he came back to East Prairie. Eventually, Mr. Bennett formed his own business and began to gain fame for his fabulous fish fries. His cooking skills are renowned throughout the nation - as are his character and his pure heart. The "Pillar of Truth" is a man who knows the age-old axiom that you nourish people with fish as well as with ideas.
Teddy Bennett is more than an entrepreneur or a "people person" or a great storyteller. His whole life teaches us what it is about to grow up in Southern Missouri and make something of yourself. Teddy began his life's journey during the Great Depression. He learned the lessons of hard work and overcoming challenges as he grew up. He didn't set out to inspire us. It just happened that way.
You hear a lot of stories about the Pillar of Truth - but I know lots of things that are true about him: Though he has made many friends, he has never lost one. He makes his living, and his life, out of bringing people together. And he knows that you feed people with more than food. Teddy is a sage - an intelligent, dedicated man who is just as proud of his community as we are of him.
In recent years, Teddy Bennett has fought a war of his own with cancer, but he has not been alone. Every one of his many friends has stood shoulder to shoulder with him. They deserve the thanks of our nation. Most of all, however, I would like to thank Mr. Bennett for being a trusted friend to the Emerson family and an inspiration in our world. You are our Pillar of Truth. |
