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2015 SESSION


HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 842
Celebrating the life of Christopher John Kennedy.

 

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 20, 2015
Agreed to by the Senate, February 25, 2015

 

WHEREAS, Christopher John Kennedy, a champion for peace and security and a beloved son, husband, father, grandson, and nephew, died on November 20, 2014; and

WHEREAS, Christopher Kennedy graduated from Millersville University in Pennsylvania with a degree in occupational safety and environmental health applied engineering; and

WHEREAS, Christopher Kennedy worked for the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), an intergovernmental organization located in The Hague, Netherlands; and

WHEREAS, as senior chemical demilitarization officer since 2009, Christopher Kennedy advocated for global peace and security by working toward the destruction of all chemical weapons; and

WHEREAS, Christopher Kennedy resolved verification issues related to the safe destruction of old and abandoned chemical weapons, designed and tested new destruction technologies, and trained and mentored new chemical weapons inspectors; and

WHEREAS, Christopher Kennedy’s approach to life on a daily basis epitomized the ideals that make the world not only a safer but a far better place; he had worked in Syria, Libya, China, Cambodia, and India; and

WHEREAS, Christopher Kennedy was a consummate professional in the field of disarmament; his unwavering commitment to his work was instrumental in the OPCW being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2013 for its extensive efforts to eliminate chemical weapons; and

WHEREAS, balancing work and family, Christopher Kennedy successfully shared his lifelong passion for preserving the planet ecologically, fostering peace, and instilling an appreciation of nature in his children; and

WHEREAS, predeceased by his mother, Angelika, Christopher Kennedy leaves behind to cherish his memory his stepfather, Thomas MacKay; his father and stepmother, Dan and Pamela Kennedy; his wife, Karen; his three young children, Kierra Anne, Isabella Vara, and Alexander Robert; grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins as well as numerous other family members; and colleagues and friends both at home and abroad; 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 Christopher John Kennedy, a hero in the service of humanity; 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 Christopher John Kennedy as an expression of the General Assembly’s respect for his memory.