2016 -- S 2201

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LC004259

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2016

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S E N A T E   R E S O L U T I O N

EXPRESSING CONDOLENCES ON THE PASSING OF THE HONORABLE BRADFORD

GORHAM

     Introduced By: Senators Kettle, Algiere, Gee, Morgan, and E O`Neill

     Date Introduced: January 28, 2016

     Referred To: Recommended for Immediate Consideration

     WHEREAS, It is with great sadness that this Senate has learned of the passing of

Bradford Gorham. He is survived by his second wife, Christine Gorham, and was the devoted

husband for forty-four years to the late Diann Gorham. He was the loving father of Christopher

Gorham and his wife, Gemma, our former colleague, Nicholas Gorham and his wife, Roseanna,

Joshua Gorham and his wife, Rebecca, Jane Gurzenda, and Nancy Boyden and her husband,

Robert. He was the very proud grandfather of fourteen grandchildren, Mark, Roy, Jeffrey, Mary,

Sara, Jared, Julia, Austin, Alejandra, Campbell, Eleanor, Nathaniel, Oliver, and Reese, and is also

survived by Christine Gorham's children, Mary and James, his brothers, John and Nicholas

Gorham, and his sister, Desire Gorham Palmer; and

     WHEREAS, Born in Providence to the late Sayles and Ruth Gorham, Bradford Gorham

was a graduate of Hope High School and Dartmouth College. Upon graduation from college, he

served our country with honor as a platoon leader and company commander in the United States

Marine Corps, and later in the Marine Reserves. He was honorably discharged from the Marines

as a Captain, and subsequently graduated with honors from Harvard Law School; and

     WHEREAS, Mr. Gorham had been a resident of Foster for many years. Always an active

and contributing member of the community, he wore many hats during his lifetime. He was not

only a lawyer for more than fifty years and served as a probate judge, but he also enjoyed being a

gentleman farmer and was a published author; and

     WHEREAS, In addition, the Honorable Brad Gorham served the people of Rhode Island

in both the House and Senate of the Rhode Island General Assembly, where he earned the respect

of his peers and rose to the position of Minority Leader of the House. His political

accomplishments also included being elected to the Constitutional Convention and serving as

Republican State Chairman; and

     WHEREAS, Proud of his heritage, Mr. Gorham was a Mayflower descendant and had

served as President of the Pilgrim John Howland Society of Plymouth, Massachusetts. In

partnership with the organization, he built and then sailed the "Elizabeth Tilley" on the same

route taken by John Howland in 1625. He was also a longtime member of the Foster Lions Club,

the Moosup Valley Grange, the Rhode Island Vermont Society of Colonial Wars, the Ionic Lodge

No. 28 FA & M, and the Howard Foundation; and

     WHEREAS, Bradford Gorham loved spending time with his family at their beach house

in Quonochontaug and on his farm and he took great pride in serving the people of Rhode Island

in myriad capacities. He will be dearly missed by all who had the good fortune to have been part

of his amazing life; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations

hereby expresses our deepest sympathies on the passing of the Honorable Bradford Gorham; and

be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Christine Gorham and Family.

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