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2008 SPECIAL SESSION II

084897656
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 6020
Offered June 23, 2008
Celebrating the life of Kevin Mason Cheatham.
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Patrons-- Nixon, Cox, Ingram and Ware, R.L.; Senators: Martin and Watkins
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WHEREAS, Kevin Mason Cheatham, a native of Chesterfield County, died on June 4, 2008, after a heroic 12-year battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, often referred to as "Lou Gehrig's Disease”; and

WHEREAS, Kevin Mason Cheatham was born on February 11, 1954, to Mary and Guy Milton Cheatham, Jr., attended Manchester High School, and graduated from the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland; and

WHEREAS, Kevin Mason Cheatham served his country in the United States Navy as a flight officer and a navigator, making two eight-month deployments to the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean, one during the Iranian hostage crisis; and

WHERAS, during his distinguished naval career, Kevin Mason Cheatham recorded over 200 catapult launches, and as he was quick to remind all, “luckily an equal number of carrier landings,” before retiring from the United States Naval Reserves with the rank of captain; and

WHEREAS, a respected and able businessman, Kevin Mason Cheatham followed his longtime service in the Navy with a successful career with the Nalco Company, a multinational water treatment and process chemical technology firm; and

WHEREAS, despite his illness, Kevin Mason Cheatham worked full-time until his death, providing the encouragement and means for his daughter to earn three college degrees and his wife two, both completing law degrees; and

WHEREAS, Kevin Mason Cheatham was a devoted husband to his wife, Jessica Powell Cheatham, and a terrific father to his daughter Leah, and the family shared a wonderful life together despite his progressing disease; and

WHEREAS, Kevin Mason Cheatham will be remembered for his love of his family, his birth state of Virginia, and his country, and for his relentless and inspirational battle with ALS; he will be greatly missed by his beloved wife and daughter, other loving family members, and many friends and admirers in the Commonwealth; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly mourn the passing of an American patriot and a fine Virginia native son, Kevin Mason Cheatham; 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 Kevin Mason Cheatham as an expression of the General Assembly’s respect for his memory.