Bill Text: VA SR160 | 2019 | Regular Session | Enrolled


Bill Title: Celebrating the life of Gordon Danny Jonas.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Passed) 2019-02-23 - Bill text as passed Senate (SR160ER) [SR160 Detail]

Download: Virginia-2019-SR160-Enrolled.html

SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 160
Celebrating the life of Gordon Danny Jonas.

 

Agreed to by the Senate, February 23, 2019

 

WHEREAS, Gordon Danny Jonas, a Wythe County educator and the longtime basketball coach at Fort Chiswell High School, passed away October 27, 2018; and

WHEREAS, Danny Jonas was born on April 11, 1951, in Wytheville then moved to Covington and Radford; and

WHEREAS, upon graduation from Radford High School, Danny Jonas attended David Lipscomb University in Nashville, Tennessee, to play basketball and received his master's degree in political science from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University; and

WHEREAS, after completing his education, Danny Jonas returned to Wythe County where he accepted a position as a social studies teacher and basketball coach at Fort Chiswell; and

WHEREAS, Danny Jonas coached the boys' and girls' varsity basketball teams for more than 20 years, with his 1989 girls' basketball team advancing to the state final four, the first girls' team from Fort Chiswell High School to do so; and

WHEREAS, Danny Jonas led Pioneer basketball teams to more than 500 victories and more than a dozen regular season and district tournament championships in his career and coached several 1,000-point scorers; and

WHEREAS, upon his retirement, Danny Jonas continued to serve as athletic director for Fort Chiswell High School, where he helped lead an upgrade to the school's athletics facilities; and

WHEREAS, Danny Jonas taught government and history to more than 5,000 students during his teaching career and was fondly known as "Coach J" to everyone in the community; and

WHEREAS, Danny Jonas showed an innate ability to connect with a wide range of students and influence their lives long after they graduated from Fort Chiswell High School; and

WHEREAS, Danny Jonas is fondly remembered and greatly missed by his wife of 48 years, Deborah; sons, Shannon and Justin, and their families; and many other family members, school personnel, former players, students, community members, and friends; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the Senate of Virginia hereby note with great sadness the loss of Gordon Danny Jonas, a Wythe County educator and the longtime basketball coach at Fort Chiswell High School; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of Gordon Danny Jonas as an expression of the Senate of Virginia's respect for his memory.

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