HONORING THE LIFE OF FRANCES GARBER PEPPER

On 2025-04-09, Representative Nancy Pelosi (D-CA-11) delivered a floor speech titled "HONORING THE LIFE OF FRANCES GARBER PEPPER" in the House.

HONORING THE LIFE OF FRANCES GARBER PEPPER

Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 64 (Wednesday, April 9, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 64 (Wednesday, April 9, 2025)] [House] [Pages H1556-H1557] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] HONORING THE LIFE OF FRANCES GARBER PEPPER (Ms. PELOSI asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 minute and to revise and extend her remarks.) Ms. PELOSI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the life and legacy of Frances Garber Pepper, a fearless and focused giant in the fight for democracy, women's rights, and a better world, who passed away on March 28. Francie meant so much to so many, whether it was through her vigorous advocacy for women or her unwavering love, energy, and compassion as a wife, mother, grandmother, friend, neighbor, and activist. People ask me all the time what women have been an inspiration to me. Personally, first and foremost, is my mother; officially, our former colleague, Lindy Boggs, Ambassador Boggs; and, politically, Francie Pepper. As a trailblazer of her own path, Francie was truly the epitome of women helping women, and I am so pleased that her legacy will carry on through a namesake fund that will help survivors and families of domestic violence. May it be a comfort to all of Francie's family: Her beloved husband, John; children, John, David, Doug, and Susan; her entire family, and all her loved ones, so many people are mourning this loss and praying for them at this sad time. Mr. Speaker, at this time I ask unanimous consent to include in the Record a tribute written by Francie's son, David Pepper. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the gentlewoman from California? There was no objection. In Memoriam: Francie Garber Pepper A Lifetime and Legacy of Fierce Advocacy (By David Pepper, Mar 30, 2025) The fight for democracy, women's rights and a better world lost a giant early Friday morning--my mother, Francie Pepper. Mom left this world as she lived in it--fearlessly, fiercely, focused. Her final days and weeks were spent sharing memories with her closest friends and fellow activists. And after saying goodbye to her grandkids, she spent her final hours surrounded by her four kids, my dad's hand firmly in hers. While we are heartbroken, we are grateful that she passed in peace, was able to enjoy precious time with those she loved, and are so deeply proud of her life-long legacy of advocacy and activism. And no, there was no better mom out there. Thank you to so many who made her life so rich and happy, and for offering your prayers and love in recent days. They are all appreciated. For those who did not know her, I share below the obituary the family has put together that captures the full breadth of her life and many pursuits and contributions. The Cincinnati Enquirer and Cincinnati Business Courier/Local 12 both provided compelling and touching accounts of all she achieved and all those she touched and inspired. Local news stations also honored her by covering her life's work: Frances ``Francie'' Garber Pepper, November 9, 1940-March 28, 2025 Born into a long, continuous line of feminists going back to the suffragists gathered at Seneca Falls, Frances ``Francie'' Garber Pepper passionately took up that mantle and dedicated her life to the cause of supporting women, women's rights, and those in need. A beloved wife, mother, grandmother, philanthropist, advocate, linguist, cottager and volunteer, Francie, 84, passed away on March 28, 2025, surrounded by her adoring family and after weeks of sharing memories with and saying goodbye to her closest friends and fellow activists. Born and raised in Cincinnati's Mount Auburn in the 1950s, Francie was shaped early on by the example of her mother and generations of strong women in her family, and by her father's work caring for patients as an OBGYN at Christ Hospital. These early role models instilled in Francie a lifelong passion for social justice, women's empowerment, and community service. Francie enjoyed bare-footed childhood summers in the rustic and remote woods and islands of Georgian Bay in Ontario--her life-long second home and the source of friendships, adventures and endless stories and good times. She graduated from Cincinnati's Hillsdale School in 1958, then attended Smith College. Her gift with languages--she would ultimately become fluent in Spanish, Italian and French--led her to major in Spanish, and to spend extensive time in Franco's Spain during and after college. Francie wrote about those years in her 2024 book, Letters from Spain. (Completing this book was one of her top priorities as she battled her illness). On her return to Cincinnati, Francie worked as a legal secretary and interpreter to leading businesses in the city. Amid the many stops in her active social life in those years was a visit to the 1964 Kentucky Derby, where she met a shy and bespectacled (the horn-rimmed type) Pennsylvania transplant, John Pepper, who miraculously managed to edge out her many suitors. The two married in 1967, enjoyed a wonderful 57 years of companionship and love, and raised a family of four kids-- John, David, Doug and Susan--followed by ten grandchildren. John's career at Procter & Gamble took the family around the globe, including stints in Rome and Brussels (twice), and extensive travel to dozens of countries. Francie embraced each new home with gusto, learning the language, bringing together communities of both expats and local friends and neighbors, all while navigating her growing family through the challenges and opportunities of living abroad. Francie kept up with those she befriended overseas for the rest of her life. Upon returning to Cincinnati, Francie played leadership roles in numerous local organizations, such as the Cincinnati Youth Collaborative, Junior League, and Cincinnati Country Day School. As her kids grew, her activism fired into overdrive, and widened in scope. Some of her projects and causes were high profile; while other people and causes she supported were anonymous, or, to this day, only known between her and those she helped. And like one large family, Francie and John's home in Wyoming became a gathering place for so many of the organizations, people and causes she supported. Francie emerged as a national voice for domestic violence awareness and prevention. She served on the board of the Cincinnati YWCA from 1996 and chaired the board from 2000 to 2004. Of all her philanthropic contributions, Francie was most proud of leading the YWCA of Greater Cincinnati's effort to renovate a historic mansion into a shelter for battered women and their children. The funds also restored the YWCA's historic Walnut Street headquarters and added a childcare center to the facility. Francie was a major supporter of the Sophia Smith Collection at her beloved Smith College, an internationally recognized archive dedicated to women's history and home to the YWCA's historical files. More recently, Francie and others' generous support seeded a fund--conceived and administered by Women Helping Women-- that provides for the immediate safety needs of survivors of domestic violence, and their families. We are honored that weeks ago, Women Helping Women named this innovative fund after her: In recognition of her years of service and support, Francie was honored with the inaugural Women of Distinction Award by the national YWCA USA, which celebrates professional women who demonstrate excellence, leadership, and integrity in advancing women's economic empowerment and racial justice. Other honors she received along her life journey: Great Living Cincinnatian; the United Way's National Tocqueville Award; the Urban Appalachian Council Kinship Award; the Richard & Sarah Allen Humanitarian Award Presented by the African Methodist Episcopal Church, Third Episcopal District; the Cookie Nowland Award, presented by the Junior League of Cincinnati; the ``Glorifying The Lion'' award of the Urban League of Greater Cincinnati; and the Citizen of the Year by the City of Wyoming, where she and John lived for more than 40 years. Her advocacy also brought Francie into the world of politics, where she and an ever growing and diverse group of fellow activists fought tirelessly through campaign after campaign. Through barrier-breaking successes and heartbreaking failures, they persisted--creating bonds of support and friendship that never faded, including weekly coffees (virtual-style during COVID) and meet-ups that kept going long after the campaigns ended. Her last meet-up with this wonderful group of women took place around her bedside, last week: Along the way, Francie became a friend and steadfast supporter of a wide range of public servants--from national leaders such as Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Speaker Nancy Pelosi; to U.S. Senators, governors and House members; to statehouse and city council members, school board members, and judges. She asked nothing of those she supported but good and honest public service. Francie Pepper is survived by her husband, John Pepper; her four children, John Pepper (Maggie), David Pepper (Alana), Doug Pepper (Kim), and Susan Pepper (Jonathan); ten grandchildren: Tibby, Izzy, and Bo (children of John and Maggie Pepper); Jack and Charlie (children of David and Alana Pepper); Andrew, Katherine, and Molly (children of Doug and Kim Pepper); and Hubbard and Rhoda (children of Susan and Jonathan); and her brother David Garber and sister Helen Garber. She is preceded in death by her parents, Dr. Stanley T. Garber and Frances Davis Garber, and her brother, S. Thomas Garber. [[Page H1557]] She leaves behind a community forever touched and inspired by her compassion, generosity, and commitment to friends, community, those in need, and women's rights. And a global network of fellow warriors for justice and a better world. Visitation will be held on Saturday, April 12, 2025, from 9:00 a.m. until time of memo