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2021 SESSION


HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 533
Celebrating the life of George Markey Keating.
 
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, January 18, 2021
Agreed to by the Senate, January 21, 2021
 

WHEREAS, George Markey Keating, who achieved great success in the publishing industry and was a longtime civic activist in Arlington County, died on June 22, 2020; and

WHEREAS, one of the first graduates of the American Studies Program at Georgetown University, George Keating earned a master’s degree in American Studies from the University of Minnesota and embarked on his career in publishing as a manager at bookstores in Washington, D.C., Connecticut, and New York; and

WHEREAS, George Keating became a sales representative for Simon & Schuster in 1978 and rose through the company’s ranks to ultimately become the eastern divisional sales manager, championing many acclaimed authors along the way, such as David McCullough, Doris Kearns Goodwin, and Bob Woodward; and

WHEREAS, George Keating culminated his career in publishing as director of sales and marketing at the Naval Institute Press, revitalizing its book publishing division before retiring in 2015; and

WHEREAS, an active and engaged member of his community, George Keating served as a three-term president of the Waverly Hills Civic Association and was a major advocate for various neighborhood improvements before the Arlington County Board and other stakeholders; and

WHEREAS, in response to the historic flooding that afflicted Arlington County in 2018 and 2019, George Keating worked tirelessly to document the extent of the damage and how it impacted residents, mobilized others to advocate for greater public investment to address the problem, and negotiated diplomatically with Arlington County officials to bring necessary improvements to fruition; and

WHEREAS, a member of both the Lee Highway Alliance’s Community Advisory Committee and the Plan Lee Highway Community Forum, George Keating played an outsized role in establishing plans to redevelop and beautify the Lee Highway corridor in Arlington, contributing to the community’s efforts to combat climate change, strengthen housing and retail properties, and improve walkability in the area; and

WHEREAS, George Keating was a driving force in obtaining the Arlington County Board’s approval for the Artis Senior Living project, an assisted-living development that will provide affordable housing options to elderly residents in need of regular care; and

WHEREAS, George Keating will be dearly remembered and lovingly missed by his wife, Ellen; his children, Owen and Brendan, and their families; and numerous 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 George Markey Keating, a beloved civic activist in Arlington County who touched countless lives through his humor, positivity, and dedication to serving others; 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 George Markey Keating as an expression of the General Assembly’s respect for his memory.