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2023 SESSION

23101040D
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 108
Offered January 27, 2023
Celebrating the life of John Victor Moeser.
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Patrons-- Hashmi, Deeds, Edwards, Howell and Spruill
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WHEREAS, John Victor Moeser, a respected expert in urban studies and planning who helped create more inclusive and equitable communities in Richmond, died on October 17, 2022; and

WHEREAS, John Moeser grew up in Lubbock, Texas, at a time when communities were rigidly segregated along racial lines; and

WHEREAS, John Moeser graduated from Texas Tech University and the University of Colorado Boulder, then pursued a doctoral degree from George Washington University in Washington, D.C., where he witnessed pivotal events in the civil rights movement firsthand; and

WHEREAS, after John Moeser settled in Richmond and continued to witness segregation and instances of overt racism, he was inspired to document inequities in the region and effect changes that would enhance the quality of life for all of his fellow residents; and

WHEREAS, John Moeser joined the faculty of Virginia Commonwealth University and became a founding member of the Urban and Regional Studies and Planning program, focusing his groundbreaking research on racial politics, poverty, and regional cooperation; and

WHEREAS, John Moeser taught thousands of students during his tenure as a professor and coauthored two major works, The Politics of Annexation: Oligarchic Power in a Southern City about the racially motivated annexation of more than 47,000 residents in Chesterfield County and The Separate City: Black Communities in the Urban South, 1940–1968; and

WHEREAS, John Moeser worked with students, fellow academics, local and state officials, and other stakeholders to raise awareness of racial segregation in urban development and its effects on housing, transportation, education, and health; he built strong relationships based on honesty, integrity, trust, and respect and was adept at diffusing tensions during potentially uncomfortable discussions; and

WHEREAS, in 2005, John Moeser retired from Virginia Commonwealth University as professor emeritus, then became a senior fellow of the Bonner Center for Civic Engagement at the University of Richmond, where he continued to study racial trends and demographics until he retired for a second time in 2015; and

WHEREAS, John Moeser worked diligently to build a more equitable, compassionate, and just Richmond, earning a reputation as a moral compass among city officials and community leaders; he received countless awards and accolades for his achievements; and

WHEREAS, outside of his career, John Moeser volunteered his leadership and expertise to many local organizations, including William Byrd Community House, Richmond Habitat for Humanity, Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy, and Richmond Memorial Health Foundation, among others; and

WHEREAS, John Moeser lived his deep faith through his actions; he was a longtime member of Second Presbyterian Church, where he served as an elder and a member of the Mission Council; and

WHEREAS, John Moeser’s greatest joy in life was his beloved family; he relished every opportunity to pass along his lifetime of wisdom and spend quality time with them; and

WHEREAS, John Moeser will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by his wife of 56 years, Sharon; his sons, Jeremy and David; his grandchildren, John Charles and Caroline; and numerous other family members and friends; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the Senate of Virginia hereby note with great sadness the loss of John Victor Moeser, a pillar of the Richmond community who touched countless lives through his advocacy; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of John Victor Moeser as an expression of the Senate of Virginia’s respect for his memory.