A JOINT RESOLUTION honoring the life and memory of walter B. jones, jr., former member of the general assembly.
Whereas, Walter B. Jones, Jr., was born on February 10, 1943, in Farmville, North Carolina, to Walter B. Jones, Sr., and Doris Long Jones; and
Whereas, Walter B. Jones, Jr., graduated from Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham, Virginia in 1961, and earned a bachelor's degree from Atlantic Christian College (now Barton College) in Wilson, North Carolina in 1966; and
Whereas, Walter B. Jones, Jr., served in the National Guard from 1967 to 1971 and, after which time, began a career in business; and
Whereas, Walter B. Jones, Jr., was an outstanding public servant throughout his life, having rendered distinguished service as a member of the North Carolina House of Representatives from 1983 to 1992, serving as chair of the Human Resources Committee and as a member of the Appropriations, Ethics, and Local Government Committees; and
Whereas, in 1995, Walter B. Jones, Jr., was elected to the United States House of Representatives, following in the footsteps of his father, who retired from his seat in 1992; and
Whereas, Walter B. Jones, Jr., represented the citizens of the Third District with honor and distinction for 12 consecutive terms until 2019 and, during that time, actively supported the military as a member of the Armed Services Committee; and
Whereas, Congressman Jones was a passionate defender of the wild horses of North Carolina's Outer Banks. His legislation, the Shackleford Banks Wild Horse Protection Act, was passed into law in 1998 and stands as a national model for bringing the public and private sectors together to save America's wildlife; and
Whereas, Walter B. Jones, Jr., served his community and State in many capacities, including as Director of the Pitt County Mental Health Association and as a member of the North Carolina Library Committee, Consumer and Advocacy Advisory Committee for the Blind, North Carolina Council for Hearing Impaired, Governor's Advocacy Council on Youth and Children, and the Foundation Board of the Eastern North Carolina Vocational Center; and
Whereas, Walter B. Jones, Jr., was a devout member of the Catholic faith; and
Whereas, Walter B. Jones, Jr., was well‑known for his integrity and was respected, admired, and loved by those who knew him and had the privilege to work with him; and
Whereas, Walter B. Jones, Jr., died on February 10, 2019, at the age of 76; and
Whereas, Walter B. Jones, Jr., was a beloved husband to his wife of 53 years, JoeAnne Whitehurst Jones, and a devoted father to his daughter, Ashley Elizabeth; Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:
SECTION 1.  The General Assembly honors the memory of Walter B. Jones, Jr., and expresses its appreciation and admiration for his life of service to the people of Eastern North Carolina, the State of North Carolina, and the United States.
SECTION 2.  The General Assembly extends its deepest sympathy to the family of Walter B. Jones, Jr., for the loss of a beloved family member.
SECTION 3.  The Secretary of State shall transmit a certified copy of this resolution to the family of Walter B. Jones, Jr.
SECTION 4.  This resolution is effective upon ratification.