Formatting necessary for an accurate reading of this text may be shown by tags (e.g., <DELETED> or <BOLD>) or may be missing from this TXT display. For complete and accurate display of this text, see the PDF.
[Pages S4563-S4564]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
REMEMBERING REBA JOY HONAKER
Mr. MANCHIN. Mr. President, today I wish to honor a proud West
Virginian, a dedicated public servant, a beloved wife, mother,
grandmother, and a dear friend to all who had the pleasure of knowing
her. It is a privilege to recognize the life and legacy of Mayor Reba
Joy Honaker for her many years of dedicated service to the city of
Welch and to our home State.
A lifelong resident of McDowell County, growing up on Belcher
Mountain, Mayor Honaker graduated from Welch High School and Concord
College and was also a dedicated member of the Elkhorn Old Regular
Baptist Church. Upon graduating from college, she taught home economics
at Big Creek High School until the birth of her son. Later she began
directing weddings and designing wedding cakes, a skill she taught to
others. She was active with the American Association of University
Women's McDowell Chapter, where she took the lead on the yearly arts
and crafts festival with proceeds benefitting the advancement of women
in higher education. In 1984,
[[Page S4564]]
Mayor Honaker opened Flowers by Reba, a small business she owned and
operated until 2006. Her volunteerism spanned the community, from
helping to start the very successful Coal Camp Creations Company, to
volunteering with the McDowell County Chamber of Commerce at various
festivals and events. Mayor Honaker truly wanted the very best for
McDowell County, helping to recreate events that took place in other
areas of the State. She assumed her role as mayor of Welch in 2011 and
was able to put her vision for the community to even greater use.
Whether working with the Welch Kiwanis Club or the American Legion Post
8 Ladies Auxiliary, she was able to make a tremendous impact on the
lives of countless families in the area. Most recently, we celebrated
the opening of the Jack Caffrey Arts Center, a project near and dear to
Mayor Honaker's heart that serves as a hub for cultural programs in
McDowell County.
Mayor Honaker represented the very best of West Virginia, which is
saying quite a lot. In the Mountain State, if you are hungry, you will
be fed. If you are lost, someone will not only give you directions but
will offer to drive you to your destination. That is just who we are,
and that is who Mayor Honaker was. We have lost a shining star in
McDowell County, but her impact, vision, and her passion for this
special community will last forever. It was an honor to have known her
and to call her a friend.
What is most important is that she lived a full life, surrounded by
dear friends and family. It is my hope that her family and friends are
able to find peace, strength, and support in one another. I extend my
condolences to Charles, her loving husband of 57 years; her children,
Darren and Patty, and Joi and Jeremy; her grandchildren, Christopher,
Erik, Mason, Wyatt, and Paige; and her numerous extended family members
and dear friends with the city of Welch. Again, I extend to you my most
sincere condolences for our loss of this wonderful person. The
unwavering love she had for her family, friends, community, and our
home State will live on forever in the hearts of all who knew
her.
____________________
