HJ268: Celebrating the life of Blackwell J. Hawthorne.

?

?

WHEREAS, Blackwell J. Hawthorne of Falls Church, a respected citizen, patriot, and outstanding community supporter, died on January 15, 2010; and

WHEREAS, Blackwell ?Blackie? Hawthorne was born on January 16, 1922, one of four boys who grew up and helped out on the Blackwells' family tobacco farm near the Town of Kenbridge; and

WHEREAS, in 1937 Blackwell Hawthorne struck out on his own to Virginia Beach, where he slept in the pantry of a resort hotel, worked as a drugstore clerk, and made saltwater taffy for the tourists; and

WHEREAS, in 1939 Blackwell Hawthorne joined the Virginia National Guard, and in 1942 decided to enlist in the United States Army to serve his country as a pilot overseas; and

WHEREAS, finding pilot school at capacity, Blackwell Hawthorne signed up for gunnery school, received special training, and was assigned to the 445th Bombardment Group in Norfolk, England; he served as a gunner aboard a B-24 Liberator, one of the United States? largest heavy bombers in World War II; and

WHEREAS, Blackwell Hawthorne?s plane was shot down over Hamburg, Germany, by a Luftwaffe jet, a new plane developed late in the war by the German air force that took the American crew by surprise; and

WHEREAS, Blackwell Hawthorne parachuted from the plane and was captured and held as a prisoner of war (POW) for two years in a northern German POW camp, along with 10,000 fellow Allied soldiers, until liberated by the Russian army in 1945; and

WHEREAS, after the war, Blackwell Hawthorne returned home to Virginia Beach and after working for a time, attended business school at Bluefield College in Virginia on the GI Bill; and

WHEREAS, Blackwell Hawthorne met and married his wife, Betsy, and the couple settled in Northern Virginia, where he worked in advertising departments for several publications, including the Alexandria Connection and the Fairfax Journal; and

WHEREAS, in October 1998, Blackwell Hawthorne, at age 76, joined the Falls Church News-Press advertising department as the sole account executive and started building the newspaper?s clientele; and

WHEREAS, well-liked in the business community and ?everybody?s favorite ad man,? Blackwell Hawthorne retired in March 2009 as the hard-working director of advertising for the Falls Church News-Press, after more than 10 years of loyal and dedicated service; and

WHEREAS, Blackwell Hawthorne generously gave his time and many talents to benefit his community; he was a mentor to the young people who worked for him part-time and an inspiration to all who knew him well; and

WHEREAS, Blackwell Hawthorne will be fondly remembered for his zest for life and gregarious nature and will be greatly missed by his devoted wife of 58 years, Elizabeth ?Betsy? Hawthorne; his daughters, Diane, Laura, and Marion Hawthorne and Julia McDonnell; his son, Blackwell Jr.; his grandchildren, Anna, Jesse, Dean, Susie, Grace, and Madeline; and numerous friends and admirers; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly mourn the passing of an outstanding Virginian, Blackwell J. Hawthorne; 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 Blackwell J. Hawthorne as an expression of the General Assembly?s respect for his memory.

WHEREAS, Blackwell J. Hawthorne of Falls Church, a respected citizen, patriot, and outstanding community supporter, died on January 15, 2010; and

WHEREAS, Blackwell ?Blackie? Hawthorne was born on January 16, 1922, one of four boys who grew up and helped out on the Blackwells' family tobacco farm near the Town of Kenbridge; and

WHEREAS, in 1937, Blackwell Hawthorne struck out on his own to Virginia Beach, where he slept in the pantry of a resort hotel, worked as a drugstore clerk, and made saltwater taffy for the tourists; and

WHEREAS, in 1939, Blackwell Hawthorne joined the Virginia National Guard, and in 1942 decided to enlist in the United States Army to serve his country as a pilot overseas; and

WHEREAS, finding pilot school at capacity, Blackwell Hawthorne signed up for gunnery school, received special training, and was assigned to the 445th Bombardment Group in Norfolk, England; he served as a gunner aboard a B-24 Liberator, one of the U.S.'s largest heavy bombers in World War II; and

WHEREAS, Blackwell Hawthorne?s plane was shot down over Hamburg, Germany, by a Luftwaffe jet, a new plane developed late in the war by the German air force that took the American crew by surprise; and

WHEREAS, Blackwell Hawthorne parachuted from the plane and was captured and held as a prisoner of war (POW) for two years in a northern German POW camp, along with 10,000 fellow Allied soldiers, until liberated by the Russian army in 1945; and

WHEREAS, after the war, Blackwell Hawthorne returned home to Virginia Beach and after working for a time attended business school at Bluefield College in Virginia on the GI Bill; and

WHEREAS, Blackwell Hawthorne met and married his wife, Betsy, and the couple settled in Northern Virginia, where Blackie worked in advertising departments for several publications, including the Alexandria Connection and the Fairfax Journal; and

WHEREAS, in October 1998, Blackwell Hawthorne, at age 76, joined the Falls Church News-Press advertising department as the sole account executive and started building the newspaper?s clientele; and

WHEREAS, well-liked in the business community and ?everybody?s favorite ad man,? Blackwell Hawthorne retired in March 2009 as the hard-working director of advertising for the Falls Church News-Press, after more than 10 years of loyal and dedicated service; and

WHEREAS, Blackwell Hawthorne generously gave his time and many talents to benefit his community; he was a mentor to the young people who worked for him part-time and an inspiration to all who knew him well; and

WHEREAS, Blackwell Hawthorne will be fondly remembered for his zest for life and gregarious nature and greatly missed by his devoted wife of 58 years, Elizabeth ?Betsy? Hawthorne; his daughters, Diane, Laura, and Marion Hawthorne and Julia McDonnell; his son, Blackwell, Jr.; his grandchildren, Anna, Jesse, Dean, Susie, Grace, and Madeline; and his numerous friends and admirers; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly mourn the passing of an outstanding Virginian, Blackwell J. Hawthorne; 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 Blackwell J. Hawthorne as an expression of the General Assembly?s respect for his memory.