WHEREAS, Cary Lee Jarvis, a courageous veteran who joined many of the other young men of his generation in service to the nation during World War II and a respected member of the Virginia Beach community, died on April 28, 2016; and
WHEREAS, a native of Norfolk, Cary Jarvis volunteered for the Virginia National Guard in 1939 and was inducted into the United States Army at the beginning of World War II; he served as a forward observer for the 111th Field Artillery Battalion, bravely scouting beyond the front lines to spot enemy targets; and
WHEREAS, on June 6, 1944, Cary Jarvis, then a staff sergeant, landed on Omaha Beach as part of the first wave of the D-Day invasion of Normandy; within moments of landing, all of the officers in his unit were either killed or wounded, and he received a battlefield commission as a second lieutenant; and
WHEREAS, Cary Jarvis fought in the ensuing campaigns across Northern France, the Rhineland, and Central Europe, earning a Bronze Star and a promotion to first lieutenant for his actions during the Battle of the Bulge; and
WHEREAS, after the war, Cary Jarvis returned home and served the community as a milk delivery driver for more than 20 years; in 2015 he was awarded the French Legion of Honor, the highest military award bestowed by the French government; and
WHEREAS, Cary Jarvis enjoyed fellowship and worship with the community as a member of Great Neck Baptist Church and remained active with veterans' groups throughout his life; and
WHEREAS, Cary Jarvis will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by his loving wife of 32 years, Mary; children, Cary, Thelma, Walter, Catherine, and Johanna, and their families; 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 Cary Lee Jarvis, a patriotic veteran and an esteemed member of the Virginia Beach community; 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 Cary Lee Jarvis as an expression of the General Assembly's respect for his memory.