2017 -- H 6381

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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

EXTENDING HEARTFELT CONDOLENCES ON THE PASSING OF EDWARD M.

FOGARTY

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Mattiello, Shekarchi, Kennedy, Keable, and Winfield

     Date Introduced: September 19, 2017

     Referred To: House read and passed

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     WHEREAS, It is with utmost sadness that this House has learned of the passing of our

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longtime colleague and friend, Edward M. Fogarty, the beloved husband of Gail Fogarty for over

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forty years, and the cherished brother and brother-in-law of Elaine Fogarty Pavao and her

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husband Paul, Patricia Fogarty Pettit and her husband Kevin, Margaret Fogarty Chella and her

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husband Michael, and Raymond William Fogarty and his wife Phoebe. He was also the proud

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uncle to several nieces and nephews, a great uncle to several great nieces and nephews, and a

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godfather to five godchildren; and

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     WHEREAS, "Ed" as he was better known to his family and many friends and colleagues,

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was a 1965 graduate of LaSalle Academy and a 1969 Magna Cum Laude graduate of Providence

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College, where he was an officer in the student senate. Ed was also a 1972 Magna Cum Laude

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graduate of the Georgetown University Law Center, where he was one of the editors of the

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Georgetown Law Journal; and

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     WHEREAS, Ed was a member of the Washington D.C. and Rhode Island bars. Ed was

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admitted to the District Court of D.C. and the United States District Court for the District of

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Rhode Island. Ed was also admitted to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit and to the

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First Circuit Court of Appeals. He was admitted to many other Courts of Appeals throughout the

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United States. He was admitted as Attorney and Counselor of the Supreme Court of the United

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States where he filed several briefs, one resulting in a Supreme Court decision in his client’s

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favor. He was a member of the American Bar Association and served on the national panel of

 

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arbitrators for the American Bar Association. He also worked as an arbitrator in the Rhode Island

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Superior Court. Ed was a law clerk for Judge Day in the United Stated District Court for the

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District of Rhode Island; and

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     WHEREAS, For several years Ed was an attorney and a partner at Wilkinson, Cragun &

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Barker, in Washington, D.C. He was also an attorney and partner at the Washington D.C. firms of

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Baenen, Timme, DeReitzes & Middleton, and at Spriggs, Bode & Hollingsworth; and

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     WHEREAS, Ed returned to Rhode Island in 1987 where he worked at the General

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Assembly in several capacities, including service as Legal Counsel to the Speaker of the Rhode

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Island House of Representatives, Legal Counsel to the Senate Majority Leader, and later Legal

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Counsel to the Senate President, retiring in December 2013. To say that Ed was a well-respected

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and esteemed lawyer would be an understatement. His calm and measured demeanor and

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approach to law made him a valued legal counsel, confidant, adviser, advocate, and friend; and

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     WHEREAS, Ed was involved in many activities outside of his legal work, serving as a

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member and on the board of many organizations, including the Lt. Joseph P. Kennedy Institute of

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Washington D.C., the Festival Ballet Providence where he served a term as president and

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currently served as vice president, the Sons of Irish Kings where he served a term as chief

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steward, and the University Club in Rhode Island and D.C.; and

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     WHEREAS, A man with many interests outside of law, Ed was an avid Red Sox fan,

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knowledgeable of all baseball trivia. As a boy, Ed honed his athletic skills playing Little League

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and Babe Ruth ball. Ed was a fan of the ballet and was honored by the Festival Ballet Providence.

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Ed loved gardening, dogs, giraffes, and the music of Bob Dylan. Ed would welcome people and

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engage in conversation making them feel at home, and as many in this chamber know, he was a

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great storyteller. Ed was also a communicant of Saint Sebastian’s Church in Providence for over

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thirty years; and

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     WHEREAS, Ed loved his family and friends and was generous to both. Ed and Gail

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loved to travel and enjoyed visiting Italy and Ireland. Ed was erudite, loved literature, the arts,

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and theater, and especially enjoyed supporting the Second Story Theater, and Water Fire. Ed

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enjoyed and was skillful at Scrabble, Jumble, crossword puzzles, and other games. Ed had a great

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sense of humor and was a great listener; and

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     WHEREAS, He leaves a void in the hearts and lives of his family, friends and colleagues.

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He will be dearly missed; now, therefore be it

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

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Providence Plantations hereby offers its heartfelt condolences on the passing of our good friend

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and colleague, Edward M. Fogarty. We moreover hope that sadness will be replaced by warm

 

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memories to comfort his family and friends in the days ahead; and be it further

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

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transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Mrs. Gail Fogarty and Family.

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