2021 -- H 6165

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2021

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H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

EXPRESSING DEEPEST CONDOLENCES ON THE PASSING OF DR. ROBIN WALLACE

     Introduced By: Representatives Abney, Carson, Ruggiero, Cortvriend, Shekarchi,
Blazejewski, Filippi, Edwards, and Ajello

     Date Introduced: March 25, 2021

     Referred To: House read and passed

     WHEREAS, Dr. Robin Wallace of Middletown was born Alan Robin Gordon Wallace in

Weymouth, England, the only child of Dr. Gordon and Muriel Wallace; and

     WHEREAS, Dr. Wallace graduated from Exeter College at Oxford University with a

degree in Medicine. He first visited Newport in 1964 for the British America's Cup Challenge,

where his father was Commodore of the Royal Dorset Yacht Club, the Challenger of Record in

the event, and also served as Fleet Surgeon, a position his son would later hold for the New York

Yacht Club; and

     WHEREAS, Dr. Wallace completed his residency at the Children’s Hospital of Boston

and then moved to Newport where he established a successful practice in association with Dr.

Fred Pearce with Aquidneck Medical Associates. Although a British citizen, soon after beginning

his practice, Dr. Wallace was drafted into the United States Army and served our nation with

honor and integrity in Vietnam as a Major in the Medical Corps. After completing his military

service, he returned to his medical practice on Memorial Boulevard until retiring in 2003.

However, he continued his service as the "School Doctor" for St. George’s School until 2017; and

     WHEREAS, In addition to being a much sought after pediatrician, Dr. Wallace reached

icon status in Newport for his leadership and advocacy on all things related to sailing. He had

learned how to sail as a child from his father and sailing remained a passion of his throughout his

life. As a member of the Ida Lewis Yacht Club, he and Race Committee Chairman Robert Connor

trained the members of the Club, and also fought tirelessly in support of establishing new

standards of excellence for race management. Their efforts led to the introduction in America of

"ton racing", a European type of level ocean racing, and the instant success of the race series for

the Sail Cup shined a light on the superb race management excellence of the Ida Lewis Yacht

Club, for which it is nationally recognized for today; and

     WHEREAS, Dr. Wallace also promoted sailing events for the City of Newport, and

served as the Chairman of the State Yachting Committee for more than seventeen years. He did

an exemplary job of educating elected officials and civic leaders about the important economic

impact sailing has on the State of Rhode Island and thanks to his leadership and advocacy, the

State Yachting Committee was able to secure the release of the necessary State funding that made

it possible for Newport to host the Prestigious Volvo Races in 2015 and 2018; and

     WHEREAS, After the loss of the America's Cup in 1983, Dr. Wallace became one of the

founding members of Sail Newport, a public sailing organization that provides sailing, and

instruction, and boating facilities to the public. Sail Newport also runs regattas and hosts a variety

of sailing events and activities that contribute much to the wider Newport community; and

     WHEREAS, Dr. Wallace was a Commodore of the Ida Lewis Yacht Club and a long-

time member of the New York Yacht Club. He was active this past season in race management at

both clubs as sailing was one of the sports allowed to continue its activities during the pandemic.

He was also a longtime active member of the Newport Reading Room; and

     WHEREAS, Dr. Wallace was also a passionate supporter of the St. George's School

where he conducted morning "sick call" for more than thirty-five years and played a vital role in

improving the health center and the general overall wellness of the St. George's community. He

always attended the school's home and away football and ice hockey games and provided

immediate medical attention to the players from both teams when injuries occurred. His longtime

support of and devotion to school athletics was recognized and honored by St. George's when he

was inducted into its Athletic Hall of Fame; and

     WHEREAS, Dr. Wallace leaves behind two cousins in England, and a large extended

family that includes his St. George's Family, his Sail Newport Family, his Ida Lewis Family, the

Murphy Family, his loyal friends Bill and Pat Steel, his many friends from Newport and beyond,

and generations of pediatric patients and their parents, and he will be sorely missed; now,

therefore be it

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

expresses its deepest condolences on the passing of Dr. Robin Wallace; and be it further

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

transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Mr. Brad Read, Executive Director, Sail

Newport.

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