Mr. BERRY. Mr. Speaker, I rise here today to pay tribute to Johnny Rye, Sr., of Poinsett County, Arkansas, a great friend, and someone who has made countless contributions to his community.

Johnny was born into a sharecropping family on September 2, 1924, in Smithville, Mississippi but moved to Arkansas just 8 years later. After finishing school, Johnny started his own grocery business in the Black Oak Community. He has operated that grocery for more than 50 years, making it the oldest grocery business in all of Poinsett County.

In addition to being a great businessman, Johnny is an active member of his community. He is known for his generosity to many local charities, and has been a member of the Marked Tree Church of God since 1946. He has also taken the time to get involved in civic activities, serving as a delegate to the Democratic State Convention and helping Bill Clinton win Poinsett County in his 1982 race for Governor.

Johnny Rye and his wife, Maxine Branch Rye, have two sons, Johnny Rye, Jr., the Assessor of Poinsett County, and Randy Rye who works for the family business. They also have one granddaughter, Robin Rye who is studying to be a nursing major at the University of Central Arkansas.

I ask my colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives to join me today in recognizing Johnny Rye, Sr. for his significant contributions to eastern Arkansas. He is a great friend, a great businessman, and a great American.