WHEREAS, Hamlar-Curtis Funeral Home and Crematory, a third-generation family owned and operated establishment in Roanoke serving the communities of the Roanoke Valley and New River Valley regions, celebrates its 70th anniversary in 2022; and

WHEREAS, Hamlar-Curtis Funeral Home and Crematory was founded by the partnership of Lawrence Harrison Hamlar and Harry C. Curtis, Jr., on February 3, 1952, and the business was incorporated several years later as Harry Curtis' wife, Marilyn Curtis, joined the operation; and

WHEREAS, after a fire almost destroyed Hamlar-Curtis Funeral Home in 1959, the company rebuilt and expanded, and continued to grow steadily during the 1960s; and

WHEREAS, to enable the highest quality of care for the families it serves, Hamlar-Curtis Funeral Home and Crematory expanded its facilities in 1972, adding a chapel, three family rooms, and an administrative suite, while renovating the interior working spaces and other facilities in 2019; and

WHEREAS, when Hamlar-Curtis Funeral Home expanded in 1972, L. Douglas Wilder, a friend of both families and a future Governor of the Commonwealth, gave the keynote address at the dedication ceremony; and

WHEREAS, following the passing of both founder Lawrence Hamlar and second-generation owner Michael Lee Hamlar in 2003, Hamlar-Curtis Funeral Home and Crematory remained in the family as second-generation owner H. Clarke Curtis and third-generation owner Michael Lawrence Hamlar became owners; and

WHEREAS, members of the Hamlar and Curtis families are very civic minded and they have served on various boards and organizations that have made a positive difference in the lives of many residents of the Roanoke Valley; and

WHEREAS, the Hamlar-Curtis Funeral Home staff of licensed funeral directors are members of the Western District Funeral Directors Association, Virginia Morticians Association, Virginia Funeral Directors Association, and National Funeral Directors & Embalmers Association; and

WHEREAS, H. Clarke Curtis served as the president of Hamlar-Curtis Funeral Home and Crematory while remaining highly supportive of his community and industry as a board member with various local civic and business organizations and as president of the Virginia Morticians Association; the recipient of a Roanoke NAACP Lifetime Achievement Award, he retired in 2019 after an illustrious 37-year career; and

WHEREAS, today, Michael Hamlar remains the owner of Hamlar-Curtis Funeral Home and Crematory and serves as its president, ensuring the same quality of care and service that families have come to expect over the past 70 years; and

WHEREAS, Hamlar-Curtis Funeral Home has not only survived but thrived for six decades because of its faithful and dedicated employees, who consistently ensure the company maintains its reputation of quality, professional service; and

WHEREAS, two members of the Hamlar-Curtis Funeral Home staff have served the company for more than 40 years: Funeral Service Licensee Fred Galloway and Funeral Attendant Richard Broady; and

WHEREAS, Hamlar-Curtis Funeral Home and Crematory plans to open a new location in Rocky Mount soon, extending its first-class care and service for the benefit of other communities in the Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, Hamlar-Curtis Funeral Home consistently provides the best possible service, treating all families with dignity, respect, and compassion; for six decades the company has adhered to the motto "Your interest is the heart of our business"; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby commend Hamlar-Curtis Funeral Home and Crematory on the occasion of its 70th anniversary; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to Hamlar-Curtis Funeral Home and Crematory as an expression of the General Assembly's admiration for the business's contributions to Commonwealth.