HONORING ROSEMARY NOEL COMBS

On 2026-06-30, Representative Ralph Norman (R-SC-5) delivered a floor speech titled "HONORING ROSEMARY NOEL COMBS" in the House.

HONORING ROSEMARY NOEL COMBS

Congressional Record, Volume 172 Issue 109 (Tuesday, June 30, 2026) [Congressional Record Volume 172, Number 109 (Tuesday, June 30, 2026)] [House] [Pages H4328-H4329] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] HONORING ROSEMARY NOEL COMBS (Mr. Norman of South Carolina was recognized to address the House for 5 minutes.) Mr. NORMAN. Mr. Speaker, one of the real privileges of serving in Congress in the United States House of Representatives is to be able to recognize ordinary people who have done extraordinary deeds in their life. It is special today, June 30, 2026, because in 4 days we will celebrate the 250th anniversary of America. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize and honor the life of a remarkable American: Rosemary Noel Combs of Pineville, Kentucky, who passed away on May 3 of this year at the extraordinary age of 100. Born on the Fourth of July in 1925, Rosemary embodied the very essence of the American Dream, through her lifetime defined by faith, family, service, and the enduring strength of the American spirit. Rosemary was raised in Pennsylvania, where she studied at the Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics, mastering communications, meteorology, the Morse code, and airline operations. Her work with Capital Airlines, and later the Pennsylvania Railroad, reflected both her intelligence and her intense determination during a transformative era in history. But, truly, it was in Pineville, Kentucky, where Rosemary would leave her greatest mark. [[Page H4329]] After marrying Robert Mason ``Doc'' Combs in 1954, Rosemary immersed herself in service to her new community. She and her husband opened the beloved Flocoe Drug Store and Diner, an establishment renowned throughout Bell County for the warmth, generosity, and the sense of real fellowship Rosemary extended to every person who visited. To generations of Pineville residents, Rosemary was more than a local businessowner. She was a counselor, volunteer, faithful servant, mentor, and friend. Whether through the Pineville Women's Club, the Rotary Club, the Bell County Chamber of Commerce, or through several decades of faithful service to St. Anthony's Catholic Church, Rosemary dedicated her life to serving others. At her funeral, a member of the community recalled a moment when Rosemary gave him medicine he could not afford for a sick child. Such quiet acts of compassion were the very essence of her being. Perhaps no tribute to Rosemary's life speaks louder than the fact that over 800 people gathered at her funeral, nearly half the town of Pineville. You have got to remember. She was 100 years old, and very few of her friends were still around. She had 800 friends. Her legacy lives on through her 6 children, 16 grandchildren, and 22 great-grandchildren. In an age that often celebrates fame and fortune, Rosemary reminds us that the true measure of one's life is found in service, kindness, faith, and love of your neighbor. Today, we honor not only a wonderful woman, but a generation of Americans whose quiet strength built communities all across this great Nation. Mr. Speaker, may Rosemary's memory continue to inspire the United States of America and all who were blessed to know her. She epitomizes the phrase to live is to serve. She did so admirably. ____________________