HJ 31 — Celebrating the life of Leri Melissa Thomas.

SESSION INTRODUCEDENROLLED 24100344D I HOUSE JOfferedJOINT JanuaryRESOLUTION 10,NO. 2024 N Prefiled January 9, 2024 Celebrating the life of Leri Melissa Thomas.

T31 ––––––––––E RCelebrating Patron––Freitasthe Olife ––––––––––of WHEREAS, Leri Melissa Thomas,Thomas. an accomplished writer and educator, enterprising business D 2023;

andtN R Agreed to by the House of Delegates, January 15, 2024 Agreed to by the Senate, January 18, 2024 O WHEREAS, Leri Melissa Thomas, an accomplished writer and educator, enterprising business L consultant and advocate, and beloved member of the Madison County community, died on August 23,U23, WHEREAS,L 202WHEREAS, Leri Thomas was a lifelong learner whose educational pursuits included a bachelor's E degree from what was then Mary Washington College and a master's degree and doctoral degree in the social foundations of education from the University of Virginia;

and ED WHEREAS, Leri Thomas achieved success as a consultant in various fields over her career, helping several small businesses, nonprofit organizations, and private clients improve their operations and achWHEREAS,achieve Leritheir Thomasgoals; demonstrated a deep commitment to the well-being of her community during her life, serving as chair of the Madison County Electoral Board, as treasurer of the Madison County Republican Committee, and as director of the Madison County Commonwealth Attorney's Office's Victim/Witness Assistance Program;

and WHEREAS, between 1993 and 2008, Leri Thomas lentdemonstrated hera artisticdeep andcommitment creative talents to numerousthe theaterwell-being productionsof at Woodberry Forest School in her capacitycommunity asCounty aRepublican scenicCommittee, artist, designer, and insWHEREAS,as andirector expertof communicator with a background in newspapers and advertising, Leri ThomasJ provided freelance publishing, graphic design, public relations, and research and writing services for the benefitMadison ofCounty bothCommonwealth individualsAttorney'she andMadison corporationsOffice's overVictim/Witness theAssistance years;Program;

and H WHEREAS, inbetween recognition1993 ofand 2008, Leri Thomas lent her knowledgeartistic and understandingcreative oftalents theto mountainnumerous regions3 thattheater compriseproductions at Woodberry Forest School in her capacity as a significantscenic portionartist, ofdesigner, theand Commonwealth,E insWHEREAS, an expert communicator with a background in newspapers and advertising, Leri Thomas wasR appointedprovided byfreelance Governorpublishing, Georgegraphic Allendesign, inpublic 1994relations, toand serveresearch onand writing services for the Boardbenefit of Trusteesboth ofindividuals theand Virginiacorporations Outdoorsover Foundation;the years;

and fondlycomprise remembereda andsignificant dearlyportion missedof the Commonwealth, Leri Thomas was appointed by herGovernor daughter,George Shyla,Allen andin her1994 familyto andserve byon numerousthe otherBoard familyof membersTrustees andof friends;the Virginia Outdoors Foundation;

now,and therefore,WHEREAS, bepreceded itin RESOLVEDdeath by theher Houseloving husband of Delegates,30 theyears, SenateJames, concurring, That the General Assembly hereby note with great sadness the loss of Leri MelissaThomas Thomas,will abe Renaissancefamily womanmembers of many gifts and interestsfriends; who left an indelible impact on the Madison County community;

and,now, therefore, be ititer, :Shyla, and her family and by numerous other RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby note with great sadness the loss of Leri Melissa Thomas, a Renaissance woman of many gifts and intRESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of Leri Melissa Thomas as an expression of the General Assembly's respect for her memory.

35 RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution 37 respect for her memory.

family of Leri Melissa Thomas as an expression of the General Assembly's 1