G. K. Butterfield: “I thank you, Congressman Fattah, for convening this Special Order this evening, and I thank you for doing so much for so…”

“I thank you, Congressman Fattah, for convening this Special Order this evening, and I thank you for doing so much for so many. Mr. Speaker, I rise to pay tribute to my friend and great American, William Herbert Gray, III. I spoke by email today, Mr. Speaker, with a family friend in Cincinnati, her name is Barbara Bond, whose deceased late husband, LaVelle, was Bill's friend. She informed me that Bill's closest of friends called him Herb, and that Herb always insisted on paying for the meal and telling his friends where to sit at the dinner table. Mr. Speaker, I first met Bill Gray many years ago. He was a dear friend of a mutual friend, Attorney Ralph Stephens, of Raleigh, North Carolina, who was also a minister and a lawyer. Bill and Ralph's relationship was very deep. When Ralph passed away some years ago, Bill came to Raleigh, consoled the family, and delivered the eulogy. In fact, when Ralph's older brother, Dr. Claude Stephens, of Fayetteville, passed away, Bill chartered a flight from Washington to Fayetteville and then flew back to Washington. He was that type of human being, compassionate and caring for his friends. On Monday of last week, June 24, Bill Gray telephoned me to say that he wanted me to meet the former Ambassador to Morocco. I agreed, and we met at noon the following day in the Members' dining room here in the Capitol for a delightful 1-hour meeting.…”