HJ158: Celebrating the life of the Reverend Sydney Strother Smith III.
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 158
WHEREAS, the Reverend Sydney Strother Smith III, an esteemed attorney, admired spiritual leader, and engaged member of the Washington County community, died on May 19, 2019; and
WHEREAS, Sydney Smith grew up in Richmond, where he joined the Boy Scouts of America and earned the prestigious rank of Eagle Scout; he remained active in Scouting throughout his life as a troop leader and a longtime board member of the Sequoyah Council; and
WHEREAS, Sydney Smith graduated from the University of Richmond and the Marshall-Wythe School of Law at The College of William and Mary, where he served as managing editor of the William & Mary Law Review, then pursued a career as an attorney; and
WHEREAS, well known for his eloquence and legal acumen, Sydney Smith tried cases on a wide range of subjects, from claims related to black lung disease and mineral rights law to religious freedom litigation and guardian ad litem matters, including several cases before the Supreme Court of the United States; and
WHEREAS, Sydney Smith answered the call to the ministry in later life and was ordained as a priest in the Anglican Catholic Church in 1987; he served as a vicar in several churches for many years; and
WHEREAS, in addition to teaching law and debate at King University in Bristol, Sydney Smith offered his wisdom to numerous state boards, including the Public Broadcasting Board and a commission on surplus property; and
WHEREAS, Sydney Smith also served as chair of the Washington County Republican Party and a member of the GOP State Central Committee, as well as manager to his father’s successful campaign for the House of Delegates in 1963; and
WHEREAS, Sydney Smith will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by his wife of 52 years, Barbara; his daughters, Jacqueline, Sydney, and Nancy, and their families; and numerous other family members and friends; 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 the Reverend Sydney Strother Smith III, a respected attorney, vicar, and community leader; 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 the Reverend Sydney Strother Smith III, as an expression of the General Assembly’s respect for his memory.