Pamela Jane Rock Post Office Building

Floor Speech

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Mr. BEAN of Florida. Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of my bill, H.R. 3947, to designate the post office in Melrose, Florida, in memory of my constituent, Pamela Jane Rock.

I thank my co-lead introducer of the bill, Representative Cammack, as well as the entire Florida delegation for their support in cosponsoring this bill.

Pamela Jane Rock was born on August 6, 1961, to John and Jane Rock of Plantation, Florida. She was the 14th and youngest child of an amazing family.

Growing up, she attended St. Gregory Catholic School in Plantation and St. Thomas Aquinas High School in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

After high school, she attended the University of Florida and graduated in 1984 with a bachelor of science in nutrition and dietetics.

During her time at UF, she was a proud member of the University of Florida Fighting Gator Marching Band for 4 years.

She was one of a kind in all that she did. After college, she worked for the State of Florida WIC program in Alachua County.

Her passion for service continued when she spent 3 years with the Peace Corps in Guatemala, educating women on proper nutrition for families.

Upon her return to the U.S., she ventured out West to Yellowstone and spent time on an Indian reservation, also educating women on infants' nutritional needs.

Pam then returned to Gainesville, Florida, in January 2022 where she joined the U.S. Postal Service and pursued a career as a letter carrier.

With a desire to give back, she is remembered for placing an apple along with the mail for the residents along her route.

This is the smile you saw. If she was delivering mail on your route, you saw this. We will turn this and let everybody see it, as well. This is the smile of Pam, and she literally lit up her route with that smile.

She was a devoted Gator fan, and like many of her siblings, going to a Gator football game was a big deal, and she did it whenever she could.

She gardened and loved having relationships with new people, especially in her church group. She loved animals. It comes as no surprise she was a volunteer at St. Francis Pet Care in Gainesville.

Tragically, Madam Speaker, Pam was attacked by dogs during her mail route in Interlachen, Florida, and succumbed to her injuries on August 22, 2022. It is still a sad day.

Pamela's friends and family described her as sweet, supportive, always there to cheer you up, and someone with a true servant's heart.

She is survived by 11 of her siblings and countless nieces and nephews whom she adored. Several are in the gallery today for this big occasion as we take a step, hopefully, Madam Speaker, to honor her service.

I thank them for being here today, and I can think of no better way to honor Pam's service to the United States Postal Service than by designating the Melrose, Florida, post office as the Pamela Jane Rock Post Office.

Madam Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support the bill.

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