In Honor of Mayor Curtistene Smith McCowan

Floor Speech

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Ms. JOHNSON of Texas. Madam Speaker, I rise today to recognize and honor the life of Mrs. Curtistene Smith McCowan, Mayor of DeSoto, Texas, who passed away on October 28, 2020.

Mayor McCowan's experience in public service was commendable, and the extension of her influence cannot be measured by the positions she held--of which there were many. Among her laudable achievements included Mayor of DeSoto, DeSoto City Councilmember, President of the DeSoto Economic Development Cooperation Board of Directors, Founder and President of the Concerned DeSoto Citizens nonprofit, and Chair of the Trustee Board at the Kirkwood Temple Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, just to name a few. Even in the 21st Century, Mrs. McCowan was the first African American elected to public office in DeSoto and the first woman to hold the office of mayor.

In our countless meetings together, Mayor McCowan and I always left with a greater understanding and appreciation for one another's perspectives. We shared the same vision for the future of DeSoto where its citizens and institutions flourished under her fervent leadership. During her tenure, Mayor McCowan made significant strides towards access for quality education, fiscal accountability, and the economic development of the city, among several other initiatives.

Mayor McCowan saw adversity as simply a bump in the road--a necessary hurdle on the way to success. She met her challenges, both personal and public, with a fierce, yet gentle tenacity. When announcing her cancer diagnosis during a city council meeting in early October 2020, she made it clear that her priority would remain the wellbeing of DeSoto and its residents during these trying times. ``I've always said that when we work together, there's nothing that we can't accomplish,'' she remarked during that meeting. It is in that spirit that we carry on her legacy, so that generations to come may feel the significant impact of her life.

Mayor McCowan is survived by her husband of 54 years, Leon R. McCowan, two sons, and three grandchildren. Also among her progeny include the students of Curtistene S. McCowan Middle School and the many of us she inspired along the way.

Madam Speaker, on behalf of the Texas Congressional Delegation and this legislative body, I compassionately extend my sincere condolences to the McCowan family, friends and loved ones. We know that DeSoto is a better place because of the well-lived life of Mayor Curtistene Smith McCowan.

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