The publication is reproduced in full below:
REMEMBERING MR. CALVIN LAMAR McDONALD, JR.
______
HON. MICHAEL GUEST
of mississippi
in the house of representatives
Wednesday, July 28, 2021
Mr. GUEST. Madam Speaker, Calvin Lamar McDonald, Jr. was a distinguished Navy veteran who was loved by everyone who had the pleasure of meeting him. Born in Meridian, MS, he graduated from Meridian High School during World War II, which motivated him to enlist in the United States Navy. He loved his country and was honorably discharged from the Navy twice. After his time in the Navy was completed, he graduated with an engineering degree from Mississippi State University.
During his second enlistment into the Navy, Lamar was placed in Gulfport, MS. He hitchhiked home nearly every weekend to see his future wife, Betty Jean Speed. They married, moved home to Meridian, and raised three children together.
It has been said that Lamar McDonald was the most popular man in the City of Meridian. Going out to eat or to the grocery store was no small task because he had friends to talk to everywhere he went. As much as the town loved him, he loved it right back. When the Civil Rights movement was underway, Lamar was on the City Council and received threats regularly. Despite this, he continued to act in the best interest of all citizens. In the 1990s, when Congress considered closing the Naval Air Station in Meridian, Lamar stood up once more and defended the community that he loved. He truly believed that every single person was made in the image of God, and he treated people as such.
For all the great stories of how Lamar cherished his community, there are many more to share about how he loved his family. He was a great man, husband, father, grandfather, and friend who left a lasting impact on countless lives, not just in Mississippi, but everywhere he went. Lamar will be greatly missed by his family, friends, and community, but the positive impact he made on Meridian, our state, and Nation will not soon be forgotten.
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SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 132
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