Bill Text: VA SR79 | 2020 | Regular Session | Enrolled
Bill Title: Celebrating the life of Henry J. Abraham.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2020-03-08 - Bill text as passed Senate (SR79ER) [SR79 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2020-SR79-Enrolled.html
WHEREAS, Henry J. Abraham, a professor emeritus at the University of Virginia who was well known for his expertise on judicial law, died on February 26, 2020; and
WHEREAS, a native of Germany, Henry Abraham attended primary and secondary schools there and had completed an apprenticeship as a printer, when, at the age of 15, his parents sent him to the United States after the rise of the Nazi regime; and
WHEREAS, Henry Abraham lived and worked in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, before joining the United States Army in 1942 and becoming a citizen of the United States in 1943; he completed specialized training in languages while he was assigned to the Signal Corps; and
WHEREAS, during World War II, Henry Abraham gathered valuable intelligence as an interrogator in England, Holland, Belgium, France, and Germany; he subsequently became a member of the Berlin Documents Center, an essential repository of documents needed for the Nuremberg War Crimes Trials; and
WHEREAS, after his honorable military service, Henry Abraham graduated first in his class from Kenyon College, then received a master's degree from Columbia University and a doctorate from the University of Pennsylvania, where he served as a faculty member from 1949 until 1972, when he joined the University of Virginia; and
WHEREAS, during his tenure at the University of Virginia, Henry Abraham served as a chaired professor of government and foreign affairs and earned many awards and accolades, including the Thomas Jefferson Award, the University of Virginia Alumni Association Distinguished Professor Award, and the Z Society's Distinguished Faculty Award; and
WHEREAS, through his vast intellect and engaging teaching style, Henry Abraham inspired generations of students, and he enjoyed lifelong friendships with many of them; after his retirement as a professor in 1997, he continued to teach an adult continuing education program on his area of expertise, the Supreme Court of the United States; and
WHEREAS, Henry Abraham was a prolific author who completed 13 books on the judicial process, most of which spanned multiple editions, and contributed chapters and scholarly articles to other works; he was a visiting professor at institutions throughout the United Sates and also served as a longtime lecturer for the U.S. Department of State, sharing his insights with individuals in 65 countries; and
WHEREAS, Henry Abraham will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by his wife of 66 years, Mildred; his children, Philip and Peter, and their families; and numerous other family members and friends; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of Virginia hereby note with great sadness the loss of Henry J. Abraham, a distinguished scholar who made many contributions to the University of Virginia community; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of Henry J. Abraham as an expression of the Senate of Virginia's respect for his memory.
