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2012 SPECIAL SESSION I


HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 509
Celebrating the life of Dr. John Christopher Fiege.

 

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, March 27, 2012

 

WHEREAS, Dr. John Christopher Fiege, who served as the first president of Eastern Shore Community College from 1972 to 1996, died on March 2, 2012; and

WHEREAS, a native of Baltimore, John Fiege earned degrees from the Community College of Baltimore County, Maryland State Teachers College at Towson (now Towson University), The Johns Hopkins University, and Illinois State University; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Fiege took the helm of Eastern Shore Community College when it was a branch of the University of Virginia located at Wallops Island and guided the institution as it became part of the Virginia Community College System; and

WHEREAS, an enthusiastic advocate of Eastern Shore Community College and its participation in the Virginia Community College System, Dr. Fiege became a familiar face in the community as he spoke about the importance of community colleges and encouraged local residents to enroll; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Fiege proudly oversaw the opening of Eastern Shore Community College’s new facility in Melfa in 1974 and welcomed Governor Mills E. Godwin as the featured speaker at the dedication ceremony; and

WHEREAS, during Dr. Fiege’s tenure, Eastern Shore Community College increased its enrollment from approximately 200 students to more than 900 and expanded its course offerings to meet the needs of local residents; and

WHEREAS, in retirement, Dr. Fiege chronicled the history of the school and shared his experiences in a work entitled Eastern Shore Community College: A History, 1971 - 2001; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Fiege and his wife, Katharine, known to all as Kitty, were honored in 2010 when an endowment in their names was established to fund operations at the school’s new Center for Student Achievement, which has provided tutoring for nearly 100 students; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Fiege took an active role in the Eastern Shore community, serving as a board member and president of the Eastern Shore of Virginia Chamber of Commerce, organizing and chairing the committee that ultimately brought the YMCA to Onley, and coaching Little League baseball; and

WHEREAS, as Eastern Shore Community College’s first president, Dr. Fiege laid the groundwork for an educational institution that continues to open doors for its students as it provides a first-rate education to residents of the Eastern Shore; and

WHEREAS, a devoted family man, John Fiege will be greatly missed by his wife, Katharine; sons, John and William, and their families; and numerous other family members, friends, former colleagues, and individuals whose lives have been enriched through their education at Eastern Shore Community College; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Delegates hereby note with great sadness the loss of an admired educational leader in the Commonwealth, Dr. John Christopher Fiege; 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 Dr. John Christopher Fiege as an expression of the House of Delegates’ respect for his memory.