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2013 SESSION


HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 780
Celebrating the life of Robert H. Haskell III.

 

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 1, 2013
Agreed to by the Senate, February 7, 2013

 

WHEREAS, Robert H. Haskell III, the respected publisher of the Martinsville Bulletin and a supporter of the Martinsville community, died on January 4, 2013; and

WHEREAS, Robert Haskell was born in Orlando, Florida, in 1939 to Robert Henry Haskell, Jr., and Antoinette Wade Marsh Haskell; the Haskell family moved to the City of Martinsville in 1947; and

WHEREAS, a passion for journalism ran in Robert Haskell’s family, with his grandfather serving as editor and publisher of several newspapers, his father serving as the publisher and eventual owner of the Martinsville Bulletin, and his mother serving as an officer for the newspaper; and

WHEREAS, after receiving a bachelor’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Robert Haskell worked as a reporter for several news outlets in and around Washington, D.C.; and

WHEREAS, Robert Haskell returned to the City of Martinsville to join the Martinsville Bulletin in 1970 and became its publisher in 1989, the year of the newspaper’s 100th anniversary; and

WHEREAS, as publisher of the Martinsville Bulletin, Robert Haskell was known for his journalistic integrity, fairness, and concern for the community; throughout Robert Haskell’s tenure, the newspaper prided itself on exceptional local reporting; and

WHEREAS, Robert Haskell deftly guided the Martinsville Bulletin through various changes in methods and technology, ensuring that the newspaper continued to efficiently serve the public; and

WHEREAS, thanks largely to Robert Haskell’s leadership, the Martinsville Bulletin today enjoys a large, loyal readership of its print and electronic editions; and

WHEREAS, Robert Haskell also served the people of Henry County and the City of Martinsville as the chair of the finance committee and the director of the Public Welfare Foundation, an organization that seeks to provide people in need with resources and opportunities; and

WHEREAS, many organizations in the area benefitted from the Public Welfare Foundation, including the New College Institute, Citizens Against Family Violence, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals of Martinsville, and the Blue Ridge Regional Library; and

WHEREAS, Robert Haskell is survived and fondly remembered by his wife, Elizabeth; son, Andrew, and his family; and many other family members and friends; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby note with great sadness the loss of Robert H. Haskell III, a dedicated journalist and a prominent member of the Martinsville community; 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 Robert H. Haskell III as an expression of the General Assembly’s respect for his memory.