Rae Oliver Davis: “I thank the gentleman. Congressman Rogers, I think you captured the emotion and the power of that funeral, the eulogies…”

“I thank the gentleman. Congressman Rogers, I think you captured the emotion and the power of that funeral, the eulogies, the reminiscences that brought so many to laughter. Sitting with Gene and Pat Snyder was always a wonderful journey back to the old House in the days before C-SPAN, before 24-hour news cycles, before multimillion dollar campaigns. The one thing that struck me about him when I first met him was his complete lack of pretense. As a young man, I couldn't believe this was a Congressman, compared to the image that one would have on TV, somebody so approachable, so transparent, and his great gift of humor. He could teach with humor. He could scold with humor and make his point very clearly. He was a man who built friendships that transcended partisan differences. He was a strong leader. And probably the highest compliment that I could pay him is that he was real. And that fact is never lost on those who knew him.”