2019 -- S 0967

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LC002775

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2019

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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 ALLEN R. "AL" SOUTHWICK

     

     Introduced By: Senators Sheehan, Valverde, Sosnowski, Crowley, and Quezada

     Date Introduced: June 12, 2019

     Referred To: Recommended for Immediate Consideration

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     WHEREAS, Al Southwick, known by his many friends as "Uncle Al" passed away on

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June 4, 2019. Mr. Southwick was born in Browerville, Minnesota, a son of the late Thomas and

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Emma Southwick. He was a long-time resident of North Kingstown and a beloved fixture within

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the community and the Town's Recreation Department for which he worked for forty years,

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including nineteen as director; and

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     WHEREAS, Mr. Southwick was born to a military family in Minnesota, and was a self-

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described Marine brat as a youngster as he and his family moved to numerous places including

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California, North Carolina and Maine, before they settled down in North Kingstown; and

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     WHEREAS, Mr. Southwick was a star baseball player in high school, playing every

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position but catcher. He was so talented, he even received a tryout with the New York Yankees in

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1964. Since those early days, he has remained active in athletics, playing pick-up basketball

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games and participating in local baseball and basketball leagues, including coaching a Babe Ruth

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League team in the 1960's and being elected President of the League in 1967; and

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     WHEREAS, In December of 1974, Mr. Southwick was hired to serve as the North

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Kingstown Program Coordinator for the Recreation Department, and through the years served as

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an instructor, coach, bus driver, beloved "uncle" to many youngsters, and worked tirelessly

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behind the scenes to register kids for events, to find coaches and craft schedules. More

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importantly, he was beloved for his gregarious nature and seemingly limitless energy and

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enthusiasm for helping kids and serving the community; and

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     WHEREAS, Mr. Southwick was also well-known for the colorful vehicles he drove in

 

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the performance of his duties. Most famous was the recreation department's "Big Blue Bus" that

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he drove for decades as he chaperoned the town's children to and from an assortment of athletic

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activities including baseball games, gymnastics programs, and roller skating. He also drove a

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second "flashy" vehicle for the recreation department, a yellow four-door, military-looking

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convertible Volkswagon Type 181, known by all simply as "The Thing."; and

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     WHEREAS, Mr. Southwick leaves behind his brothers, John Southwick and his wife,

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Alma Gay, and Lynnwood Southwick. He also leaves behind many nieces, nephews and cousins;

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and

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     WHEREAS, Mr. Southwick's passing is a grievous loss for his family, many friends, and

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the North Kingstown community. Mr. Southwick leaves behind a legacy of service that will be

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long-remembered by all who knew and loved him; now, therefore be it

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

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hereby expresses its deepest condolences on the passing of Mr. Al Southwick; 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 duly certified copies of this resolution to John Southwick, Lynnwood Southwick and

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North Kingstown Recreation Department.

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LC002775

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