2017 -- S 1020

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2017

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S E N A T E   R E S O L U T I O N

EXTENDING HEARTFELT CONDOLENCES ON THE PASSING OF EDWARD M.

FOGARTY

     Introduced By: Senators P Fogarty, Ruggerio, McCaffrey, and Goodwin

     Date Introduced: September 19, 2017

     Referred To: Recommended for Immediate Consideration

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

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

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

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

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

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

godfather to five godchildren; and

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

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

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

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

Georgetown Law Journal; and

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

District of Rhode Island; and

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

and esteemed lawyer in the Senate would be an understatement. His calm and measured

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

friend, not only to the Senate leadership but to other members of this Chamber, our staff, and our

colleagues in the House of Representatives and throughout the State House; and

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

thirty years; and

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

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

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

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

sense of humor and was a great listener; and

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

He will be dearly missed; now, therefore be it

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

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hereby offers its heartfelt condolences on the passing of our good friend and colleague, Edward

M. Fogarty. We moreover hope that sadness will be replaced by warm memories to comfort his

family and friends in the days ahead; 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 Mrs. Gail Fogarty and Family.

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