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2006 SPECIAL SESSION I

068681348
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 5120
Offered June 28, 2006
Celebrating the life of the Honorable V. Earl Dickinson, Sr.
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Patrons-- Janis, Abbitt, Albo, Alexander, Amundson, Armstrong, Athey, BaCote, Barlow, Bell, Bowling, Brink, Bulova, Byron, Callahan, Caputo, Carrico, Cline, Cole, Cosgrove, Cox, Crockett-Stark, Dance, Dudley, Ebbin, Eisenberg, Englin, Fralin, Frederick, Gear, Gilbert, Griffith, Hall, Hamilton, Hargrove, Hogan, Howell, A.T., Howell, W.J., Hugo, Hull, Hurt, Iaquinto, Ingram, Joannou, Johnson, Jones, D.C., Jones, S.C., Kilgore, Landes, Lewis, Lingamfelter, Lohr, Marsden, Marshall, D.W., Marshall, R.G., May, McClellan, McEachin, McQuigg, Melvin, Miller, Moran, Morgan, Nixon, Nutter, O'Bannon, Oder, Orrock, Peace, Phillips, Plum, Poisson, Purkey, Putney, Rapp, Reid, Rust, Saxman, Scott, E.T., Scott, J.M., Shannon, Sherwood, Shuler, Sickles, Spruill, Suit, Tata, Toscano, Tyler, Valentine, Waddell, Ward, Wardrup, Ware, O., Ware, R.L., Watts, Welch, Wittman and Wright
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WHEREAS, the Honorable V. Earl Dickinson, Sr., a native son of Spotsylvania County, prominent citizen of Mineral, and a distinguished member of the House of Delegates from 1972 until 2002, was called to his reward on June 15, 2006; and

WHEREAS, a loving and devoted husband, father and grandfather, military veteran, successful businessman, civic leader and consummate Virginia gentleman, Earl Dickinson spent his life in the selfless service of others; and

WHEREAS, born on July 7, 1924, in Spotsylvania County, Earl Dickinson graduated from Spotsylvania High School; and

WHEREAS, during the height of the Second World War, in a time of deepest peril for our Commonwealth and our Nation, Earl Dickinson temporarily set aside his studies and enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps, serving for three years with fidelity, obedience, and zeal; and

WHEREAS, upon completion of his military service, Earl Dickinson returned to the University of Richmond and earned a bachelor's degree in business administration in 1948, attended the University of Virginia School of Law, and in 1991 was awarded an honorary doctorate of social service by the University of Richmond; and

WHEREAS, a farmer, cattleman, and founder of Dickinson Brothers Lumber Company, who was happiest when seated behind the wheel of his tractor, Earl Dickinson was a great friend of the farmer and the common man and, despite his many honors and accolades, never forgot his roots; and

WHEREAS, a gifted politician who prided himself on knowing the minds and serving the needs of his constituents, Earl Dickinson won the first of many elections in 1961, gaining a seat on the Mineral Town Council, where he served for three years, followed by seven years as a member of the Louisa County Board of Supervisors, serving his last four years as Chairman; and

WHEREAS, Earl Dickinson was first elected to the House of Delegates in 1972 to represent the residents of the 56th District, which at various times included portions of the counties of Fluvanna, Goochland, Henrico, Louisa, and Spotsylvania; and

WHEREAS, Earl Dickinson was a respected member of the House Rules and Joint Rules Committees, the Privileges and Elections Committee, and the Transportation Committee; and

WHEREAS, as chairman and later cochairman of the powerful and influential House Appropriations Committee from 1996 until 2001, Earl Dickinson earned a legendary reputation as a tenacious, forceful, and highly effective Budget Conference Committee negotiator; and

WHEREAS, a great friend and benefactor of higher education in the Commonwealth, Earl Dickinson gave generously of his personal wealth, and persistently promoted several important legislative initiatives including the Virginia Tuition Assistance Grant (TAG), the Commonwealth Governor’s School and the Blue Ridge Virtual Governor’s School; Earl Dickinson’s extraordinary patronage of higher education in general, and the Virginia Community College System in particular, is commemorated with facilities named in his honor at the University of Mary Washington, Germanna Community College, Piedmont Virginia Community College, and J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College; and

WHEREAS, Earl Dickinson contributed his talents, time, and attention to various professional and civic organizations, including the Lions Club, the Montpelier Council for Historic Preservation, the Frontier Culture Museum of Virginia, Louisa Ruritan, the American Legion, Farm Bureau, and most notably as trustee and vice-chairman of the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation; and

WHEREAS, a man of deep and abiding personal religious convictions, Earl Dickinson was an active member of Mineral Baptist Church for over 50 years, where he sought to serve God and his fellow man as a Sunday school teacher, trustee, and Deacon; and

WHEREAS, a loving and devoted family man, Earl Dickinson will be fondly remembered and missed by his devoted wife, Mary Lou, his numerous loving family members and friends, his colleagues on both sides of the aisle in both houses of the General Assembly, and the citizens of Virginia; and

WHEREAS, Earl Dickinson’s lifetime of service can best be summarized in his own words, to wit: “All I have ever done since I’ve been here is to try to represent the people of my district well, and do a good job for the people of the Commonwealth”; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly mourn the loss of an exceptional citizen of the Commonwealth, the Honorable V. Earl Dickinson, Sr.; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of the Honorable V. Earl Dickinson, Sr., as an expression of the esteem in which his memory is held by the members of the General Assembly.