HJ 690 — Celebrating the life of Randall Wade Smith.

SESSION INTRODUCEDENROLLED 23105232D I HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO.

690 E N Offered February 15, 2023 Celebrating the life of Randall Wade Smit––––––––––Smith. T Patrons––O'Quinn;

Senator:Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 20, 2023 R Agreed to by the Senate, February 22, 2023 O L through his passion for lifelong learning, and a beloved husband and father, died on January 19, 2023;

Pillionand RL –––––––––– WHEREAS, Randall "Randy" Wade Smith ofgrew Abingdon,up ain formerWinston-Salem, educatorNorth whoCarolina, inspiredand countlessE studentsfarm Oin throughlow hiscountry passionSouth forCarolina, lifelongwhere learning,he andbegan ato belovedcultivate husbandhis andlifelong father,love diedfor onthe Januarygreat 19Doutdoors; 2023;

and WHEREAS, RandallRandy "Randy"Smith Wadegraduated Smithfrom grewAppalachian upState inUniversity, Winston-Salem,where Northhe Carolina,served andon Uthe farmcommittee inthat loworganized countrylive Southmusic Carolina,performances whereon hecampus beganand toattracted cultivatebig-name hisacts lifelonglike lovethe forband the greatteam outdoors;to the university's first Southern Conference Championship title;

andeam and Ehelped lead WHEREAS, Randy Smith graduatedpursued froma Appalachiancareer Statein University,education whereas hea servedsocial onstudies theteacher committeeand thatbegan organizedteaching livegovernment, musiceconomics, performances on campus and attracted big-name acts like the bandhumanities Mountainat andJohn TheS. Allman Brothers Band;

heBattle wasHigh alsoSchool ain lettermanBristol onin the1973; soccer team and helped lead the team to the university's first Southern Conference Championship title;

andH WHEREAS, Randy Smith pursued a career in education as a social studies teacher and began he gave countless students the tools they needed to achieve success in higher education and careers andand9 waswasWHEREAS, well-knownRandy forSmith incorporatingestablished songJohn lyricsS. and poetry into his lectures;

Battle High School's boys' and WHEREAS,girls' cross country E programs, and runners from around the region still compete on the cross country course he designed in R the Randy Smith establishedClassic Johneach S.fall;

Battleand HighWHEREAS, School'sRandy boys'Smith andalso girls'taught crossyoung countrymen programs, and runnerswomen fromat around the regionformer stillVirginia competeIntermont onEarth theDay crossevent countryfor coursestudents; he desigHed in the Randy Smith Classic each fall;

andandtion 6 WHEREAS, Randy Smith also taught young men and women at the former Virginia Intermont 0 College, where he led the convocation program, established a poetry club, and organized an annual EarWHEREAS,WHEREAS, Randy Smith received many awards and accolades for his commitment to excellence as both a teacher and coach before his retirement from John S.

and WHEREAS, outside of his career, Randy Smith volunteered his time to teach classes for older adults at Pleasant View United Methodist Church and served as an on-site director for the Special Olympics for many years;

andited Methodist Church and served as an on-site director for the Special Olympics WHEREAS, Randy Smith was a master naturalist who started the Seed Saver program at the Washington County Library and relished every opportunity to explore the Commonwealth's state parks;

35 life;

andny bird-watching programs and kept a list of every species of bird he had seen throughout his 36 WHEREAS, Randy Smith will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by his wife of 51 years, / 37 Mary Sue;

and numerous other family members and / 38 friends;

now, therefore, be it 39 RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby note with great sadness the loss of Randall Wade Smith;

and, be it the General Assembly hereby RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of Randall Wade Smith as an expression of the General Assembly's respect for his memory.

family of Randall Wade Smith as an expression of the General Assembly's