March 7, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 41 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session

[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E270]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       IN MEMORY OF ANN L. O'NEAL

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. AL LAWSON, JR.

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 7, 2019

  Mr. LAWSON of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the life 
and legacy of Ann L. O'Neal, a dear friend, a beloved daughter of 
Florida A&M University (FAMU), the Tallahassee community and, indeed a 
great Floridian.
   Ann had a tremendously vibrant presence in and around the Florida 
A&M campus, where she was widely known as ``Auntie Ann''. She was a 
tremendous advocate for FAMU and was a tireless force for the 
betterment of the university, its students, and victory for all its 
athletic teams.
   Ann truly took that line from the FAMU alma mater to heart--``on 
gridiron, diamond, track and field, I will fight whatever the battle be 
. . .'' Ann was a fixture at every single football, basketball, 
softball, baseball game on campus for over 50 years, and her enduring 
loyalty to the University was infectious.
  I can remember my time as a Rattler basketball player, Ann would 
always sit in the stands, right behind the team bench cheering us on. 
She would offer us encouragement when we needed it, and if you messed 
up or made a bad shot, she'd let you know that too. But it was all in 
love and Ann loved hard. And, I can say with great certainty that no 
one loved the Rattlers as Ann did.
   In her professional life, Ann O'Neal broke barriers as the first 
female Space Analyst in FAMU's Division of Facilities Planning, where 
she worked for more than 30 years. She did her job well, and with 
pride. She was recognized by the Florida Board of Regents, which 
preceded the Florida Board of Governors, which oversees Florida's 
public universities, as the best Space Analyst in the state. For a 
time, she knew every inch of Florida A&M and its buildings and made 
sure that its space was allocated properly and accounted for.
   Ann O'Neal was always full of enthusiasm, for all things FAMU and 
for life in general. In our sadness at her sudden passing, we remember 
that Ann loved the Lord, and Ann loved FAMU. She seized every 
opportunity and enjoyed every moment that she was given. I hope it is a 
comfort to Ann's family and friends that so many people mourn their 
loss and are praying for them during this sad time.