HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 421 Offered March 1, 2006 Celebrating the life of J. Michael Kelleher, Sr. ----------
Patrons-- Hall, Cox, Hargrove, Janis, Jones, D.C., McClellan, Nixon, O'Bannon, Reid and Waddell; Senators: Lambert, Marsh, Martin, McDougle, Stosch and Watkins
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WHEREAS, J. Michael Kelleher, Sr., of Henrico County, respected citizen and successful business owner of Kelleher Corporation for 38 years, died February 2, 2006; and

WHEREAS, a Richmond native, Michael "Mike" Kelleher was the second-youngest of eight children and a graduate of Thomas Jefferson High School; and

WHEREAS, Michael Kelleher met his lovely wife, Marie Krafft, at a Catholic youth convention in Richmond; the couple married and for 67 years, shared a wonderful life together, raising their five children and running the family business; and

WHEREAS, Michael Kelleher first worked for Little Oil Company in the 1940s as a sales manager, then was instrumental in the establishment of Gill Oil Corporation, and he later joined W.E. Seaton and Sons as a vice president until the company merged with a larger company; and

WHEREAS, the merger was the catalyst that spurred Michael Kelleher, at the age of 56, to start his own business in 1968 in order to deliver the excellent customer-oriented service he was accustomed to providing his clients; and

WHEREAS, when Michael Kelleher and his oldest son, Joseph M. Kelleher, Jr., first started the family's home heating oil business, they worked from a kitchen table in a one-room office and managed to make all of their deliveries with only one oil truck; and

WHEREAS, thirty-eight years later, the company, founded by Micheal Kelleher, has over 45 loyal employees and operates a fleet of three dozen distinctive orange and blue Kelleher Corporation vans, providing quality heating, cooling, plumbing, and electrical services to residents in the Richmond-Petersburg metropolitan areas; and

WHEREAS, Michael Kelleher was extremely supportive of his community through various civic, church, and charitable organizations, including service in leadership positions with the Retail Merchants Association of Greater Richmond, the Knights of Columbus, and service on the grand jury in Henrico County for over 25 years and on the multijurisdictional grand jury for eight years; and

WHEREAS, Michael Kelleher will be remembered for his professionalism, providing quality service to his customers, and for his compassionate and generous nature; and

WHEREAS, Michael Kelleher will be missed by his beloved wife and sons, 13 grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren; numerous other loving family members, friends and admirers; and the parishioners of Saint Benedict Catholic Church; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby note with great sadness the loss of an outstanding Virginian, J. Michael Kelleher, Sr.; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of J. Michael Kelleher, Sr., as an expression of the General Assembly's respect for his memory.