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2016 SESSION


HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 118
Celebrating the life of Alphonzo LaSalle Holland, Sr.

 

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, January 15, 2016
Agreed to by the Senate, January 21, 2016

 

WHEREAS, Alphonzo LaSalle Holland, Sr., of Roanoke, a longtime employee of Norfolk and Western Railway, a proud veteran of the United States military, an activist and volunteer who devoted his life to the pursuit of equality and the betterment of his community, and a devoted husband and father, died on December 12, 2015; and

WHEREAS, Alphonzo Holland joined the United States Army as a young man and served in the Philippines during World War II; he was a member of the army for more than 30 years and his military career included both active duty service and the United States Army Reserve; and

WHEREAS, Alphonzo Holland began working for Norfolk and Western Railway, now known as Norfolk Southern Corporation, as a janitor, and when he retired 46 years later, he was an assistant manager for tariff compilations; and

WHEREAS, Alphonzo Holland worked for the betterment of future generations of African Americans at his workplace and in his neighborhood; he helped mediate discrimination issues at the railroad and was involved in a community effort to close a nearby landfill, which today is Washington Park; and

WHEREAS, in tirelessly working to ensure that future generations had opportunities that were not afforded to him, Alphonzo Holland took part in civil rights marches and was a member of a biracial committee that worked peacefully to desegregate businesses in Roanoke during the 1960s; and

WHEREAS, many organizations benefited from Alphonzo Holland’s involvement; he was president of the Roanoke Branch of the NAACP, a Boy Scout leader, a member of the board of trustees of two churches, and also served on the board of the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Virginia; and

WHEREAS, the Roanoke City Council honored Alphonzo Holland as its Citizen of the Year for 2003 for his many contributions to the city and its residents and for his dedication to improving the lives of others, especially the African American community; and

WHEREAS, a man of great faith, Alphonzo Holland served on the board of High Street Baptist Church and God’s House Baptist Ministry where he found faith and fellowship, and he also enjoyed singing in church choirs; and

WHEREAS, predeceased by his first wife, Susie, Alphonzo Holland will be greatly missed and fondly remembered by his wife, Sara; children, Al, Jr., Carrieoma, Mary Ann, and Tom, and their families; 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 Alphonzo LaSalle Holland, Sr., of Roanoke, an assistant manager for Norfolk and Western Railway, a community activist who worked for equality for all people, and a devoted husband and father; 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 Alphonzo LaSalle Holland, Sr., as an expression of the General Assembly’s respect for his memory.