WHEREAS, Laura Belle Gordy, a respected community leader in Accomack County and a beloved wife, mother, and grandmother, died on December 7, 2023; and

WHEREAS, Laura Belle Gordy grew up in Tasley, where she attended Onancock High School, and she later graduated from cosmetology school; and

WHEREAS, Laura Belle Gordy ran for and was elected to the Accomack County Board of Supervisors in 1988 as the supervisor for District 7; and

WHEREAS, during her long and distinguished tenure on the Accomack County Board of Supervisors, Laura Belle Gordy went above and beyond to enhance the quality of life in the region and strove to build compromise and consensus on important issues; and

WHEREAS, Laura Belle Gordy was honored by Governor George Allen for her achievements and was appointed to the Secretary of the Commonwealth Advisory Board by Governor James S. Gilmore III; and

WHEREAS, Laura Belle Gordy was instrumental in the development of Saw Mill Recreational Park and the Wallops Research Park, and she helped facilitate the construction of new schools and retail establishments in Accomack County; and

WHEREAS, Laura Belle Gordy retired from public office in 2020 after more than 30 years of exceptional service; and

WHEREAS, Laura Belle Gordy will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by her sons, James Alfred "Mac" Mackie and his wife, Elsie, and Robert Bates "Bobby" Taylor, Sr., and his wife, Susan; a niece she considered a daughter, Billye D. Custis; and numerous other family members and friends; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby note with great sadness the loss of Laura Belle Gordy, a highly admired community leader and public servant in Accomack County; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of Laura Belle Gordy as an expression of the General Assembly's respect for her memory.