SR 103 — Celebrating the life of Charles Lee Thomas.

SESSION INTRODUCEDENROLLED 24107698DSENATE IRESOLUTION SENAOfferedNO. February 28, 2024 N Celebrating the life of Charles Lee Thomas.

––––––––––103 TE Patron––ObenshainCelebrating Rthe ––––––––––life Oof WHEREAS, Charles Lee Thomas,Thomas. a standout basketball player at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, who went on to inspire countless young athletes as a basketball coach and menDor, died on WHEREAS, Charles "Charlie" Thomas grew up in Harrisonburg, where he attended public schools U and graduated from Harrisonburg High School;

andN WHEREAS,Agreed Charlieto Thomasby wasthe aSenate, memberMarch of6, the2024 HarrisonburgR HighO SchoolState basketballUniversity, teamwho fromwent Con 1966 to 1970,inspire earningcountless numerousyoung accolades,athletes includingas selectiona tobasketball thecoach All-State first team and aEmentor, honorabledied mentionon asNovember an5, All-American2023; in his senior year;

and L WHEREAS, Charles "Charlie" Thomas grew up in Harrisonburg, where he attended public schools andWHEREAS, Charlie Thomas was a member of the Harrisonburg High School basketball team from E to 1970, earning numerous accolades, including selection to the All-State first team and an D honorable mention as an All-American in his senior year;

and D basketball court, then transferred to Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, where he was a member of the 1973 National Invitational Tournament championship squad and was selected to the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) All-South first teams in 1973 and 1974;

and WHEREAS, after graduating college, Charlie Thomas played and coached basketball in Europe and South America for a few years, then returned to the United States and served young people as a college R coach for more than three decades;

and 0 WHEREAS, Charlie Thomas notably spent 17 years as the head basketball coach at San Francisco E State University;

he led the team to the Western Region semi-finals of the NCAA Tournament in 1994 andR wasandWHEREAS, twiceCharlie namedThomas originally retired from coaching in 2005, but returned for a stint as thean Northernassistant Californiacoach Athleticat ConferenceWest CoachHills ofCollege thein Year;Coalinga, California, from 2007 to 2010;

and 0 WHEREAS, Charliein Thomaslater originallylife, retiredCharlie fromThomas coachingsettled in 2005,Visalia, butCalifornia, returnedwhere forhe aenjoyed stintattending assoul anmusic assistantand coachtrivia atwith Westfamily Hillsand Collegefriends; in Coalinga, California, from 2007 to 2010;

andandor WHEREAS, in later life, Charlie Thomas settled in Visalia, California, where he enjoyed attending sporting events, watching NASCAR races, cheering for the Pittsburgh Steelers, and sharing his love of souWHEREAS,WHEREAS, Charlie Thomas will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by his wife, Brianna;

now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That the Senate of Virginia hereby note with great sadness the loss of Charles Lee 34 Thomas, a highly admired college basketball coach;

and, be ititat 35sadness the loss of Charles Lee RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for 37presentation to the family of Charles Lee Thomas as an expression of the Senate of Virginia's respect for his memory.

the family of Charles Lee Thomas as an expression of the Senate of Virginia's respect 2