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2023 SESSION


SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 357
Celebrating the life of Scott Blackford Meacham.

 

Agreed to by the Senate, February 21, 2023
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 22, 2023

 

WHEREAS, Scott Blackford Meacham, a senior attorney with the Division of Legislative Services and a beloved husband, father, son, brother, and friend, died on January 10, 2023; and

WHEREAS, Scott Meacham grew up in Anchorage, Alaska, where he attended Robert Service High School; he was a longtime trumpet player in various school bands and competed in the Junior Nordic cross-country skiing program for many years; and

WHEREAS, Scott Meacham was an avid outdoorsman from a young age and made many happy memories hiking and backpacking in Chugach State Park or simply enjoying a good book in the sun on the ridge overlooking Long Lake; and

WHEREAS, Scott Meacham continued his education at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire and graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in English; and

WHEREAS, guided by his lifelong appreciation for architecture, from the mystique of ancient ruins to the intricacies of modern urbanism, Scott Meacham earned a master’s degree, as well as a certificate in historic preservation and the Frederick Doveton Nichols Award for outstanding academic achievement, from the University of Virginia School of Architecture; and

WHEREAS, after graduate school, Scott Meacham worked for historic preservation firms to research and nominate sites for the National Register of Historic Places, then pursued a law degree from the University of Virginia School of Law; and

WHEREAS, Scott Meacham began his legal career in 2004 as an analyst with LexisNexis, where he edited the first print edition of the Louisiana Revised Statutes produced by the organization; he subsequently worked for the National Legal Research Group, Inc., in Charlottesville, writing litigation memoranda and appellate briefs and completing specialized projects in the areas of insurance, torts, and real property; and

WHEREAS, Scott Meacham joined the Division of Legislative Services on October 10, 2011, and faithfully served the members of the General Assembly for more than a decade; and

WHEREAS, admired for his legal acumen and intellectual curiosity, Scott Meacham contributed to the research, preparation, and revision of hundreds of pieces of complex legislation related to agriculture and natural resources during regular and special sessions of the General Assembly and, notably, led the Virginia Code Commission’s revision of Title 45.1 (Mines and Mining) of the Code of Virginia in 2021; and

WHEREAS, in the course of his duties, Scott Meacham staffed the House Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources and the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources; and

WHEREAS, since 2018, Scott Meacham also served on the executive committee of the Virginia Code Commission, with responsibility for communicating legal decisions of the Commission to the publishers of the Code of Virginia in the process of codifying the Acts of Assembly at the end of each legislative session; and

WHEREAS, Scott Meacham, a trusted friend and a vital source of institutional knowledge in state government, earned the admiration of public officials and colleagues alike for the breadth of his expertise, his wit and sense of humor, and his calm demeanor; and

WHEREAS, through his personal integrity, commitment to public service, and professional insights, Scott Meacham helped ensure the good and efficient functioning of state government and enabled the General Assembly to better serve the residents of the Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, outside of his legal career, Scott Meacham published a definitive work on the architectural history of his alma mater, Dartmouth College: The Campus Guide, a comprehensive tour of the institution’s picturesque campus and the surrounding neighborhoods; and

WHEREAS, Scott Meacham enjoyed returning to Alaska as often as possible and especially loved watching his daughter discover the majesty of his home state; and

WHEREAS, Scott Meacham will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by his beloved wife of more than 22 years, Sarah; their daughter, Camden; his parents, Tom and Jane; his brother, Brian, and his family; and numerous other family members, friends, and colleagues; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly hereby note with great sadness the loss of Scott Blackford Meacham; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of Scott Blackford Meacham as an expression of the General Assembly’s respect for his memory.