[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 1] [Extensions of Remarks] [Pages 396-397] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]PASSING OF FORMER DELEGATE MARGARETTE LEACH ______ HON. NICK J. RAHALL II of west virginia in the house of representatives Thursday, January 17, 2008 Mr. RAHALL. Madam Speaker, West Virginia recently lost an outstanding daughter, Margarette Leach. Margarette passed away on December 23, 2007, but today I rise to celebrate a life well lived and to remember with fondness the accomplishments of a remarkable woman who, over her many years, was [[Page 397]] a torchbearer in the arenas of healthcare and politics in West Virginia. The unfortunate news of her passing has brought sadness to so many throughout West Virginia, including those who did not have the opportunity to meet Mrs. Leach but who have come to benefit from her passionate support for the field of healthcare. Margarette, a West Virginia native, was born in Goodwill, WV on December 4, 1926. She graduated from Beaver High School in 1944 and from St. Mary's School of Nursing in 1948. She would go on to dedicate her life to helping other by serving as a nurse and elected official for the next 60 years, 14 of which she spent as a member of the West Virginia House of Delegates representing District 15. In April of last year, Delegate Leach was honored with The Center for Rural Health Development's 2007 Rural Health Leadership Award. The year 2007 would see another honor bestowed on Margarette, when the Prestera Center for Youth and Families was named after her. She pushed hard for the Merritt Creek connector from Interstate 64 to State Route 2 and helped to obtain funding for the Jenkins Plantation Museum and the Madie Carroll House. She also helped to bring the bronze statue of Carter G. Woodson to its current location in Huntington. In 2004, Margarette was named a West Virginia History Hero, but to those she diligently served over the years, she was already a hero many times over. She will be greatly missed by her family, in particular her husband of 58 years and their family, as well as, the community she served so faithfully over these many years. My thoughts and prayers are with the family of Margarette Leach. I join with West Virginians in honoring her remarkable life and the legacy she left behind. ____________________