Bill Text: VA HJR359 | 2010 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Celebrating the life of Donald Robert Colburn.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Passed) 2010-03-11 - House: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HJ359ER) [HJR359 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2010-HJR359-Enrolled.html
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WHEREAS, Donald Robert Colburn, a respected citizen, an admired and talented computer language and robotics developer, and a beloved member of the Vienna Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Support Group, died on September 30, 2009; and WHEREAS, Donald "Don" Colburn was born on January 19, 1955, the son of Robert W. Colburn and Jean H. Ramsay Colburn; and WHEREAS, a pioneer in the computing and robotics fields, Don Colburn was a productive and longtime member of the Forth Interest Group, known as FIG; and WHEREAS, MacForth, the first programming language of the original 128K Macintosh computer, was developed by Don Colburn, as the president of Creative Solutions, Inc., in Rockville, Maryland, along with his brother, Dave Colburn; and WHEREAS, Don Colburn was an inspiration, mentor, and role model for his many good friends and colleagues, and he was well-known for his brilliant mind and inventiveness, sparkling wit, and great courage; and WHEREAS, Don Colburn and his brother Chas Colburn recently started an innovative new company, 3D Metal Parts, Inc., in Oakton, Virginia, which adapts 6-axis industrial robots for manufacturing 3D metal parts; and WHEREAS, Don Colburn generously gave his time and expertise to help his fellow citizens in need, including using his own resources to create a Multiple Sclerosis Library for the MS Center of Greater Washington located in Vienna; and WHEREAS, Don Colburn received joy and satisfaction from developing a computer system for the students of Viers Mill Elementary School in Rockville, networking all the school's classrooms to a new, much needed computer lab; grateful teachers and children presented him with a plaque thanking him for the 1,000 hours he volunteered on the project; and WHEREAS, a kind, generous man and a compassionate listener, Don Colburn was a leader in the fight against multiple sclerosis, and he provided reassurance and the benefit of his knowledge and experience to new members of the Vienna MS Support Group and the MS Center of Greater Washington; and WHEREAS, Don Colburn will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by his family, including his loving sons, Brendon and Robert Colburn; his mother and father, Jean and Robert Colburn; his brother Dave Colburn, sister-in-law Lisa, and nieces Kaytlin and Jenni; his sister, Janet O'Grady, and nephew, Christopher; his brother, Chas Colburn, sister-in-law Prima, and niece Kelly; and his numerous friends and extended family members; and WHEREAS, Don Colburn will be missed by his good friends and fellow members of the Vienna MS Support Group, including Retta Yorns, the group's leader; and Linda Harper, MS Therapy Infusion Nurse; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly mourn the passing of a gifted member of the computing and robotics community and an outstanding Virginian, Donald Robert Colburn; and, be it RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare copies of this resolution for presentation to the family of Donald Robert Colburn and the Vienna MS Support Group as an expression of the General Assembly's respect for his memory. |
