HR76: Celebrating the life of Irvine Byrd Hill.


HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 76
Celebrating the life of Irvine Byrd Hill.

 

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, January 29, 2016

 

WHEREAS, Irvine Byrd Hill, an esteemed public servant and community supporter who was Mayor of Norfolk and a member of the City Council, a popular broadcast journalist in Hampton Roads who hosted a cable television program about the Virginia General Assembly for many years, a proud veteran, and a devoted husband and father, died on May 27, 2015; and

WHEREAS, Irvine Hill was born in Norfolk and graduated from Maury High School; he attended the Norfolk division of The College of William and Mary and studied broadcasting management at Harvard Business School; and

WHEREAS, Irvine Hill served in the Virginia National Guard from 1958 to 1962, and was a member of the United States Navy Reserve; he received the Superior Public Service Award from the Secretary of the Navy and was director emeritus of the Navy League of the United States; and

WHEREAS, Irvine Hill was a distinguished and much-loved Mayor of Norfolk; he was a member of the Norfolk City Council from 1972 to 1976, serving as mayor for two of those years; he was held in great esteem by the residents of Norfolk and was known as “The People’s Mayor”; and

WHEREAS, for much of his life, Irvine Hill was a broadcast journalist and executive in the Hampton Roads area; he was president and general manager of WCMS radio station from 1963 to 1979 and also was part owner of a radio station in Petersburg; and

WHEREAS, in 1983, Irvine Hill became vice president for programming and community relations for Cox Communications, where he was the highly regarded host of many popular programs, including “Hampton Roads Speaks Out,” “Portraits,” “Viewpoints,” and “A Visit With”; and

WHEREAS, as a respected journalist whose love for Norfolk and its people was central to his career and life, Irvine Hill interviewed more than 15,000 people from all around the area with a gentle and welcoming approach; and

WHEREAS, for 17 years, Irvine Hill was the host of “Cable Reports from the Virginia General Assembly”; more than 1,000 programs featuring interviews with members of the Virginia General Assembly were shown on cable television stations throughout the Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, Irvine Hill’s love for Norfolk and Hampton Roads and his kind and courtly manner endeared him to the people of Tidewater and the Commonwealth; he received the Distinguished Service Medal as Norfolk’s First Citizen in 2000 and many other accolades; and

WHEREAS, Irvine Hill made many contributions to the Norfolk area and was known as its most prominent ambassador and supporter; he was awarded the President’s Medallion from Eastern Virginia Medical School, was named Man of the Year by the Norfolk Police Department, and received a Certificate of Achievement from Old Dominion University; and

WHEREAS, many institutions in Norfolk benefited from Irvine Hill’s contributions and insight, including the Chrysler Museum of Art, Old Dominion University, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, the Southside Boys & Girls Club, Festevents, and the Nauticus Museum; and

WHEREAS, Irvine Hill will be remembered for his empathy for the less fortunate, his innate kindness, his love of stimulating conversation and thirst for knowledge, and his tireless work to make his community a better place; and

WHEREAS, Irvine Hill, who was predeceased by his first wife, Elizabeth; daughter, Robin; and second wife, Marjorie, will be greatly missed and fondly remembered by his daughter, Anne, and her family; and many other family members, friends, and the people of Norfolk; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Delegates hereby note with great sadness the loss of Irvine Byrd Hill of Norfolk, who spent his life in service to others and worked for the betterment of his community as Norfolk’s mayor and a member of its City Council and was a highly regarded broadcast journalist and supporter of many local institutions; 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 Irvine Byrd Hill as an expression of the House of Delegates’ respect for his memory.

HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 76

Offered January 15, 2016
Celebrating the life of Irvine Byrd Hill.
Patron-- Stolle

WHEREAS, Irvine Byrd Hill, an esteemed public servant and community supporter who was mayor of Norfolk and a member of the City Council, a popular broadcast journalist in Hampton Roads who hosted a cable television program about the Virginia General Assembly for many years, a proud veteran, and a devoted husband and father, died on May 27, 2015; and

WHEREAS, Irvine Hill was born in Norfolk and graduated from Maury High School; he attended the Norfolk division of The College of William and Mary and studied broadcasting management at Harvard Business School; and

WHEREAS, Irvine Hill served in the Virginia National Guard from 1958 to 1962, and also was a member of the United States Navy Reserve; he received the Superior Public Service Award from the Secretary of the Navy and was director emeritus of the Navy League of the United States; and

WHEREAS, Irvine Hill was a distinguished and much-loved mayor of Norfolk; he was a member of the Norfolk City Council from 1972 to 1976, serving as mayor for two of those years; he was held in great esteem by the residents of Norfolk and was known as “The People’s Mayor”; and

WHEREAS, for much of his life, Irvine Hill was a broadcast journalist and executive in the Hampton Roads area; he was president and general manager of WCMS radio station from 1963 to 1979 and also was part owner of a radio station in Petersburg; and

WHEREAS, in 1983, Irvine Hill became vice president for programming and community relations for Cox Communications, where he was the highly regarded host of many popular programs, including “Hampton Roads Speaks Out,” “Portraits,” Viewpoints,” and “A Visit With”; and

WHEREAS, as a respected journalist whose love for Norfolk and its people was central to his career and life, Irvine Hill interviewed more than 15,000 people from all around the area with a gentle and welcoming approach; and

WHEREAS, for 17 years, Irvine Hill was the host of “Cable Reports from the Virginia General Assembly”; more than 1,000 programs featuring interviews with members of the Virginia General Assembly were shown on cable television stations throughout the Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, Irvine Hill’s love for Norfolk and Hampton Roads and his kind and courtly manner endeared him to the people of Tidewater and the Commonwealth; he received the Distinguished Service Medal as Norfolk’s First Citizen in 2000, and many other accolades; and

WHEREAS, Irvine Hill made many contributions to the Norfolk area and was known as its most prominent ambassador and supporter; he was awarded the President’s Medallion from Eastern Virginia Medical School, was named Man of the Year by the Norfolk Police Department, and received a Certificate of Achievement from Old Dominion University; and

WHEREAS, many institutions in Norfolk benefited from Irvine Hill’s contributions and insight, including the Chrysler Museum of Art, Old Dominion University, the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, the Southside Boys & Girls Club, Festevents, and Nauticus museum; and

WHEREAS, Irvine Hill will be remembered for his empathy for the less fortunate, his innate kindness, his love of stimulating conversation and thirst for knowledge, and his tireless work to make his community a better place; and

WHEREAS, Irvine Hill, who was predeceased by his first wife, Elizabeth; daughter, Robin; and second wife, Marjorie, will be greatly missed and fondly remembered by his daughter, Anne, and her family; and many other family members, friends, and the people of Norfolk; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the House of Delegates hereby note with great sadness the loss of Irvine Byrd Hill of Norfolk, who spent his life in service to others and worked for the betterment of his community as Norfolk’s mayor and a member of its City Council and was a highly regarded broadcast journalist and supporter of many local institutions; 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 Irvine Byrd Hill as an expression of the House of Delegates’ respect for his memory.