S10734 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE November 20, 2008 

early on, serving as President of Sigma 

Alpha Epsilon Fraternity, President of 

the Inter Fraternity Council, and 

President of the Cardinal XX Honorary 

Society. Upon graduation, Stanley attended the University of Arkansas 

School of Law were he received his 

Juris Doctorate in 1976 and was also 

awarded Highest Honors. Upon taking 

the Arkansas Bar Exam that year, 

Stanley scored the highest grade in the 

State. 

Although licensed as an attorney, 

Stanley returned to the family farm, 

producing cotton in Lee and St. 

Francis Counties. He soon became active within the agricultural community and served as president of the Lee 

County Farm Bureau from 1982–1984. 

Soon after, he joined the board of directors of the Arkansas Farm Bureau 

Federation in 1988, later serving as secretary-treasurer for 6 years, vice president for 4 years, and, as I mentioned 

before, president for the past 6 years. 

He has also served on the American 

Farm Bureau Board of Directors since 

2004. 

His involvement in the Arkansas agriculture community has led him on 

trade missions to Taiwan, Korea, 

Japan, Mexico, Turkey, Brazil, South 

Korea, and Peru. In addition, I had the 

good fortune to be joined by Stanley 

and other Arkansas farmers on a trade 

mission to Cuba in 2000 to discuss the 

opening of the Cuban market to Arkansas goods. 

What makes Stanley so unique, 

though, is that his service to Arkansas 

extends beyond the agriculture world. 

Education has always been a priority 

for him. He served for 4 years on the 

Lee Academy School Board, where his 

children attended, and he just recently 

completed a 10-year term on the University of Arkansas Board of Trustees, 

where he served as chairman for 2 

years. He is a member of the Arkansas 

Academy for Agriculture Engineers 

and has been honored as Distinguished 

Alumni of the College of Engineering. 

Additionally, he has served on the 

board of directors for Baptist Health 

and as a board member of Simmons 

First National Bank. 

Faith is an important part of Stanley’s life. A member of the First Baptist Church in Marianna, Stanley has 

served as a Deacon in the church and 

taught youth and adult Sunday School 

classes for over 20 years. More importantly, he has been involved in prison 

ministries locally and oversaw the 

fundraising and construction of the 

prison chapel at an Arkansas Department of Corrections facility. 

And last but certainly not least, 

Stanley’s family—his wife Charlene 

and three children, Haley Davis, Nathan, and Anna—has been a tremendous source of pride and inspiration for 

him. In fact, Nathan is carrying on the 

family farming tradition and works 

with Stanley on the farm. Stanley is 

also the proud grandfather to Anna 

Kate, Jack, and Haven Davis. 

As you can see, Stanley Reed is Arkansas through and through. So as he 

steps down as president of the Arkansas Farm Bureau, I want to thank him 

for all that he has done for Arkansas 

and in particularly, the Arkansas agriculture community. Stanley, although 

you are ending your tenure, I know you 

will not be far away. I look forward to 

working with you and know you will 

continue to make your impact felt in 

your community and in the State you 

love so much.

f 

∑ 

TRIBUTE TO DR. CHARLES E. LEA 

∑ Mrs. MCCASKILL. Mr. President, 

today I wish to speak about the life of 

a truly outstanding Missourian. On October 7, 2008, this nation lost a son, a 

soldier, and a community servant when 

Dr. Charles E. Lea of Lexington, MO, 

passed away. While we mourn his passing, we are extraordinarily grateful for 

all that he gave to his community, his 

State, and his country during his lifetime. 

I believe that Dr. Lea is a wonderful 

example and reminder of the brave men 

and women who have served our country in the past and continue to serve it 

today in this time of great need. 

In 1957, Dr. Lea graduated from the 

United States Military Academy at 

West Point, and after putting himself 

through medical school at the University of Missouri, volunteered for service in Vietnam. Widely regarded and 

recognized as a humble servant, Dr. 

Lea was awarded the Bronze Star, the 

Legion of Merit, the Soldier’s Medal, 

four Air Medals, the Army Commendation Medal, the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry, the Combat Medical Badge, and 

the Parachutist Badge for his service. 

While awards and commendations obviously show a great deal about a person, I am a believer that the strength 

of a person’s character is revealed in 

his or her daily actions. Those who 

knew Dr. Lea best shared an anecdote 

with me regarding his time in Vietnam. Dr. Lea was featured in newspapers and on television here at home 

for his efforts during the war to save a 

village elephant that had been shot. 

Seemingly insignificant at the time, 

those efforts placed the United States, 

and our servicemen and women, in high 

regard in the eyes of the Vietnamese 

village. This small effort, not part of 

his duty or orders, but undertaken by a 

man trying to make a difference, had 

an extensive impact. 

Following his military service, Dr. 

Lea became a general practice family 

physician and served countless families 

in Oklahoma and Missouri throughout 

his medical career. 

As I reflect on Dr. Lea’s life today, I 

am reminded not only of the value of 

his personal service and sacrifice, but 

of the committed service and selfless 

sacrifice of all the men and women who 

have served this country in uniform. 

America owes a large debt to all of the 

remarkable men and women who have 

served this great nation. I would like 

to express my sincere thanks to Dr. 

Lea and his family, and in remembrance of his life and his service, my 

utmost gratitude goes to all those who 

have served.∑ 

f 

TRIBUTE TO DR. RONALD DAVIS 

∑ Ms. STABENOW. Mr. President, 

today I honor a truly great man and a 

good friend, Dr. Ronald Davis, who died 

on November 6, 2008 at his home near 

East Lansing, MI. 

Dr. Davis was an outstanding physician, a great leader, and an effective, 

impassioned advocate for the uninsured. As President of the American 

Medical Association, Ron helped focus 

our attention on making sure health 

care was available and affordable for 

all Americans. 

We worked together earlier this year 

on the Farm Bill—an unusual issue for 

physicians to get involved in—but Ron 

and I were committed to making sure 

our Federal farm policy promoted 

health and nutrition. With his help, we 

passed a truly groundbreaking farm 

bill that increased the Federal commitment to fresh fruits and vegetables. 

Last February, Ron was diagnosed 

with pancreatic cancer. This cancer, 

which affects over 37,000 Americans 

each year, is unfortunately one of the 

hardest to treat. But Ron didn’t see it 

that way. He told his fellow doctors, 

‘‘Never take away someone’s hope,’’ 

and he lived by those words. 

Even while undergoing painful and 

difficult cancer treatments, Ron was 

on the front lines, educating the public 

about support Web sites for cancer patients that allow families to stay informed while building a support network for the patient. 

A champion for preventative medicine and public health, Dr. Davis was a 

leading advocate for healthier lifestyles. He traveled the country urging 

Americans to quit smoking, exercise 

more, and eat better. 

He also led the effort for the historic 

apology by the AMA to African-American doctors for the organization’s past 

exclusion of Black physicians. He believed that ‘‘by confronting the past we 

can embrace the future,’’ and pushed to 

increase enrollments by minorities in 

medical schools and health professions. 

I want to express my deepest sympathies to his wife Nadine and his three 

sons, Jared, Evan, and Connor. America has lost a great doctor, and his 

family has lost a great man. Ron’s extraordinary record of community service, dedication, and courage should 

serve as an inspiration to us all.

f 

∑ 

MESSAGES FROM THE PRESIDENT 

Messages from the President of the 

United States were communicated to 

the Senate by Mrs. Neiman, one of his 

secretaries. 

f 

EXECUTIVE MESSAGES REFERRED 

As in executive session the Presiding 

Officer laid before the Senate messages 


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