The publication is reproduced in full below:
IN RECOGNITION OF THE LIFE AND MEMORY OF EUNICE MAE WILKENS
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HON. EMANUEL CLEAVER
of missouri
in the house of representatives
Thursday, April 8, 2021
Mr. CLEAVER. Madam Speaker, I rise today with a heavy heart on behalf of Missouri's Fifth Congressional District to honor and celebrate the life of Eunice Mae ``Judy'' ``Granny'' Wilkens. A lifetime resident of Concordia, Missouri, Eunice spent her 88 years on this Earth enriching her community through individual acts of service that filled her life with purpose and her neighbors' lives with blessings.
Eunice understood that one need not relocate to a big city to have a big impact, and her remarkable story attests to this simple tenet of service. In a town tucked between Sweet Springs and Odessa in the western half of Missouri, Eunice was determined to improve her small corner of the world through entrepreneurship, activism, and volunteerism. As the owner of Ye Olde Lantern Motel, she worked tirelessly to demonstrate the beauty and grace of her beloved town to those traveling through. When her community was in need, she happily volunteered to pitch in for the greater good. For twenty-four years, she was a member of the Concordia Fire Protection District, serving thousands of people across a 100-square-mile area who called her for help when they needed it most. After years of seeing veterans return home from distant battlefields still bearing the scars of war, she volunteered to be a member of the local V.F.W. Ladies Auxiliary at Post 5649. Along with other dedicated volunteers, Eunice helped foster a community where veterans could share their wartime stories, bond over common experiences, honor the sacrifices of those who never made it home, and contribute to their community's future through initiatives like their annual Voice of Democracy scholarship competition.
Eunice's involvement with the V.F.W. and the Concordia Fire Protection District spurred in her a strong sense of political purpose and propelled her to become active in the Lafayette County Democrat Club. When knocking on doors or making calls for local candidates, she undoubtedly carried with her the stories of those who had lost just about everything to an unexpected medical emergency, and those who had defended our country abroad but struggled to find peace back home. Perhaps closest to my heart was Eunice's work at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, where she volunteered as a braille worker. She knew that salvation and jubilation is not reserved only for the able-bodied. Through her generosity, Eunice helped those without sight envision the glory of God through her eyes.
Today, as I reflect on Eunice's beautiful story--a story complete with family, faith, and love--a story in which she and her late husband, Hubie, traveled all over the world and to all fifty states--I cannot help but believe that Eunice, in her daily voyages of selflessness and service, carried with her the lessons from the Sermon on the Mount. In a Sermon described by some as the most important one ever given, Jesus preaches to a mass of followers while standing on a hilltop overlooking the Sea of Galilee. Jesus describes service to God not as strict adherence to rigid principles or unforgiving laws, but rather, as a lifetime dedicated to loving and serving God's children on Earth. At one point, Jesus exclaims that those who are compassionate, forgiving, merciful, sincere, and humble will serve as ``the light that gives light to the world.'' He then implores his disciples not to hide their light behind closed doors, but to let their light ``shine brightly before others, so that the commendable things you do will shine as light upon them.'' With every act of kindness to a stranger, service to a neighbor, and compassion for a fellow Concordian, Eunice shined brightly. Just like the oil lamps that lit up the pristine hilltop towns of Galilee when Jesus gave his Sermon all those centuries ago, the light of Eunice's life illuminated Concordia and will continue to shine upon the people who call the town home. There is no doubt that Concordia was blessed to have Eunice, and our community will be forever grateful for her presence in our lives.
Today, my thoughts, and the thoughts of Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, are with Eunice's daughter, Nancy; her grandsons, Kyle and Erik; her five great-grandchildren; and her several nieces and nephews, as they come together to celebrate Eunice's lifetime of illuminating service. We can take comfort today in our belief that she joins Hubie in perhaps the one place they never visited in their travels together. Madame Speaker, please join me in honoring Eunice's unique life and the everlasting impression that it has left on the town she so greatly impacted. Please also join me in offering heartfelt condolences to her family and dear friends. Madam Speaker, as we go forth into an uncertain future, let us learn from Eunice's example and serve as shining lights in our own communities so that we may deliver to those whom we serve the way Eunice served those whom she loved.
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SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 61
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