TRIBUTE TO THELMA LEE EDWARDS-RILEY

On 2025-05-21, Representative James E. Clyburn (D-SC-6) delivered a floor speech titled "TRIBUTE TO THELMA LEE EDWARDS-RILEY" in the House.

TRIBUTE TO THELMA LEE EDWARDS-RILEY

Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 86 (Wednesday, May 21, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 86 (Wednesday, May 21, 2025)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E467] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] TRIBUTE TO THELMA LEE EDWARDS-RILEY ______ HON. JAMES E. CLYBURN of south carolina in the house of representatives Wednesday, May 21, 2025 Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor and pay tribute to a remarkable South Carolinian--a woman who embodied the values of hard work, resilience, compassion, and grace. Thelma Lee Edwards-Riley, a daughter of Holy Hill, South Carolina, was born on July 10, 1930. She was a woman who was devoted to her family. A mother to Martha Stocker and Calvin Riley, she led a life full of warmth, love, and quiet strength. Her pride in her children was unbounded. She found joy in the simple and honest labor of working in her yard, tending lovingly to her plants and flowers. Her garden reflected her spirit: nurturing, patient, and full of life. Just as she cultivated her garden, she poured care, time, and love into the lives of those around her, most especially Colombia's Belvedere Community. Thelma Riley had a heart always ready to help whoever was in need. Whether someone needed a comforting word, a helping hand, or just a listening ear--she was there without hesitation and without expectation. The personification of the life and legacy of Ms. Riley is encapsulated in the twenty-fifth chapter of Mark, verse 40, `Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.' '' Mr. Speaker, I ask you and our colleagues to join me in celebrating the life of Ms. Thelma Lee Edwards-Riley. Let us remember her with the love she gave so freely. Let us keep her memory alive through the acts of kindness we show, the care we offer others, and the strength we find in one another. Her life was a blessing and her memory a treasure. ____________________