Bill Text: GA SR1204 | 2009-2010 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Bagley, Mr. Smith W.; condolences
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-0)
Status: (Passed) 2010-03-10 - Senate Read and Adopted [SR1204 Detail]
Download: Georgia-2009-SR1204-Enrolled.html
10 LC 94
2452
Senate
Resolution 1204
By:
Senators Orrock of the 36th, Brown of the 26th, Jones of the 10th and Fort of
the 39th
A
RESOLUTION
Honoring
the life and memory of Mr. Smith W. Bagley; and for other purposes.
WHEREAS,
the State of Georgia mourns the loss of one of its most distinguished citizens
with the passing of Mr. Smith W. Bagley on January 2, 2010; and
WHEREAS,
Mr. Bagley was born on April 1, 1935, in New York, a beloved son of Henry and
Nancy Reynolds Bagley and grandson of Richard Joshua Reynolds, founder of the
R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company; and
WHEREAS,
Mr. Bagley's roots run through the State of Georgia, with his father born in
Americus, and later living in Atlanta, his uncle Richard Reynolds living much of
his life on Sapelo Island, and his mother spending much of her time at the
beloved home, Musgrove, on St. Simons Island; and
WHEREAS,
he served as a guardian of this nation's freedom and liberty as a captain with
the United States Army Reserve and earned a bachelor's degree from Washington
and Lee University; and
WHEREAS,
a prominent Democratic fundraiser, business executive, activist, and progressive
philanthropist, Mr. Bagley served as chief executive to SBI, a cellular
telephone company in Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado that he started in 1989;
and
WHEREAS,
Mr. Bagley joined the Democratic Party when he was 17, ran for Congress for
North Carolina in the late 1960's, and later served as vice chairman of finance
for the Democratic National Committee and a delegate to numerous Democratic
National Conventions; and
WHEREAS,
he devoted most of his life to supporting social justice causes, serving as a
founding member of Cities and Schools, the precursor for Communities in Schools,
and as president of the Arca Foundation and founder of the Brenn Foundation,
which focuses on public policy issues such as social justice, human rights,
civic engagement, and the environment; and
WHEREAS,
Mr. Bagley was united in love and marriage for 26 wonderful years to Elizabeth
Frawley Bagley and was blessed with six wonderful children, Walker, Brett,
Conor, Nancy, Nicole, and Vaughan, and five grandchildren; and
WHEREAS,
a source of a great support to Democratic candidates, Mr. Bagley and his family
opened their homes for fundraising events for candidates such as President Jimmy
Carter, President Bill Clinton, President Barack Obama, Vice President Al Gore,
Senator Edward M. Kennedy, and Senator John Kerry; and their estate on St.
Simons Island, Georgia, was the site of President Carter's first pre-inaugural
cabinet meeting and is used as a regular retreat for policy makers, innovative
thinkers, and progressive activists from around the world; and
WHEREAS,
Mr. Bagley served for 20 years as president of the Sapelo Foundation, which was
founded by his uncle Richard, and was a long-standing board member of the Sapelo
Island Research Foundation in Brunswick, Georgia; and
WHEREAS,
Mr. Bagley was chairman of the board of regents of Catholic University of
America, after which he was honored with the title Chairman Emeritus, founded
the first annual American Cardinals Dinner, and was recognized with the
President's Medal; and
WHEREAS,
a well-known philanthropist, Mr. Bagley was a former member of the Board of
Trustees of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and was a life
trustee and board member for the last 50 years of the Z. Smith Reynolds
Foundation in North Carolina; and
WHEREAS,
he was a person of magnanimous strengths with an unimpeachable reputation for
integrity, intelligence, fairness, and kindness and, by the example he made of
his life, he made this world a better place in which to live; and
WHEREAS,
with a personal motto of "For the People," Mr. Bagley lived his life in service
to others and never faltered in his desire to help his fellow man;
and
WHEREAS,
a compassionate and generous man, Mr. Bagley will long be remembered for his
love of family and friendship, and this loyal husband, father, grandfather, and
friend will be missed by all who had the great fortune of knowing
him.
NOW,
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body join in
honoring the life and memory of Mr. Smith W. Bagley and express their deepest
and most sincere regret at his passing.
BE
IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed
to transmit an appropriate copy of this resolution to the family of Mr. Smith W.
Bagley.
