2017 -- H 6229

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LC002703

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2017

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H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

HONORING RAYMOND J. SICARD ON THE OCCASION OF HIS 90TH BIRTHDAY

     Introduced By: Representatives Morgan, Shekarchi, Lancia, and O`Grady

     Date Introduced: May 17, 2017

     Referred To: House read and passed

     WHEREAS, Raymond J. Sicard, better known as Ray to his family and many friends,

was born nine decades ago on May 20th of 1927. Calvin Coolidge, a republican, was serving his

term as the 30th President of the United States, Charles Lindbergh had completed the first solo

flight across the Atlantic, and the world's population reached two billion people that year; and

     WHEREAS, A longtime resident of the Town of West Warwick, Ray was the husband of

Antoinette "Ann" Sicard, who passed away in 2014. He is the father of Nancy Wells and Lisa

Buben, and is a very proud grandfather and great-grandfather; and

     WHEREAS, For many decades, beginning shortly before the 1966 elections, Ray and

Ann were involved in West Warwick politics and active members of the West Warwick

Republican Town Committee; and

     WHEREAS, Particularly focused on West Warwick's Voter Rolls, Ray was an essential

component in keeping the Town's voting records accurate and up-to-date, and helped to create a

computerized voting list with the assistance of IBM 026 key punch machines and 80 column

Hollerith cards, which he had leased and stored in his garage; and

     WHEREAS, Over the ensuing years, Ray's diligence resulted in the removal of more than

5000 erroneous voters from the voting rolls, and the ability of the party to utilize computerized

direct mail to the electors. He also identified and trained poll workers for every election, helping

the system to run smoothly and honestly, and has continuously assisted in fund raising, candidate

recruitment, signature gathering, and just about any task that was required; and

     WHEREAS, In addition, as a result of Ray's efforts, the Town of West Warwick voted

five Republicans into office in 1970, a feat that had not occurred since the 1946 elections; and

     WHEREAS, Ray Sicard is a devoted family man, an incredible asset and loyal friend to

many, and a widely-respected gentleman who has impacted countless lives through his wealth of

knowledge and his contributions to the Town of West Warwick and the Republican Town

Committee; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island and

Providence Plantations hereby joins the family and many friends of Ray Sicard in honoring him

on the very special occasion of his 90th Birthday. We wish him and all the members of his family

the very best health and happiness for many years to come; 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 Mr. Raymond J. Sicard.

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LC002703

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