Recognizing Mrs. Mary Edith Brown Coleman's 109th Birthday

Floor Speech

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Mr. MRVAN. Mr. Speaker, it is with great respect that I rise to congratulate Mrs. Mary Edith Brown Coleman as she celebrates her 109th birthday on February 13, 2026. Edith will gather with her friends and family in Schererville to commemorate this significant milestone.

Edith Brown was born on February 13, 1917, in Muskogee, Oklahoma. She was one of four children born to Luther Albert Brown and Dora Rozolia Draper Brown. Her family went on to live in Kansas City, Kansas, and after her parents passed Edith moved to the south side of Chicago, Illinois, to live with her aunt. In 1940, Edith met her husband, the late William Henry Coleman, and relocated to Gary's Midtown neighborhood.

Edith is an accomplished scholar, having earned both a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in education at Indiana University in Bloomington. After graduating, Edith pursued a career in the teaching profession where she went on to enrich the lives of thousands of young minds. For over 27 years, Edith taught students at Frederick Douglass Elementary School. She also helped connect students with scholarships through her involvement with the Women's Association of the Northwest Indiana Symphony Society and the American Association of University Women.

Outside of the classroom, Edith is an active member of the Gary community, holding memberships in the Red Hat Society and the Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. She is well known for her involvement with her church, the First Church of God in Gary. In 2023, Edith was recognized by the First Church of God in Gary for her lifetime of dedicated service to the community. For over seven decades Edith has served her church in several roles, including teaching Sunday School, serving as Director of the Daily Vacation Bible School, holding memberships in the local and national Missionary Societies, singing in the church choir, serving as a deaconess, and teaching a manners class for young children.

Mr. Speaker, Edith has always given her time and efforts selflessly to the youth and the community in Northwest Indiana throughout her illustrious life. For her dedication to academic success and her commitment to empowering youth with the skills and knowledge to thrive, Edith is worthy of the highest praise. Mr. Speaker, I respectfully ask that you and my other distinguished colleagues join me in wishing Mary Edith Brown Coleman a very happy 109th birthday.

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