HJ321: Celebrating the life of Dean Rhea.


HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 321
Celebrating the life of Dean Rhea.

 

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, March 7, 2022
Agreed to by the Senate, March 9, 2022

 

WHEREAS, Dean Rhea, a highly admired high school athletics coach who touched countless lives in and around Rural Retreat, died on February 12, 2022; and

WHEREAS, Dean Rhea grew up in Rich Valley and graduated from Rich Valley High School; he attended Emory & Henry College, then earned a bachelor’s degree from Bluefield State College, where he played football; and

WHEREAS, Dean Rhea began his career as an educator at Rich Valley High School, then joined Rural Retreat High School in 1986; and

WHEREAS, Dean Rhea led the Rural Retreat High School football team to unprecedented success; in his first season, he led the team to an 8–3 finish and its first Virginia High School League playoff appearance in school history; and

WHEREAS, over the course of 18 years as head coach, Dean Rhea secured a 135–66 overall record, four Region C Division 1 titles, and 11 trips to the postseason; and

WHEREAS, after his retirement as head coach, Dean Rhea worked as Rural Retreat High School’s athletic director and interim wrestling coach, and despite moving to Tennessee in later life, he still drove more than an hour to serve as an assistant football coach; and

WHEREAS, Dean Rhea helped lead the Rural Retreat Middle School football team to an undefeated season in 2021; and

WHEREAS, well known as a player’s coach and a trusted mentor, Dean Rhea helped the members of his teams achieve their fullest potential on and off the field; and

WHEREAS, Dean Rhea will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by his wife of 44 years, Reva; his sons, Dustin and Rusty, and their families; his mother, Opal; 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 Dean Rhea; 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 Dean Rhea as an expression of the General Assembly’s respect for his memory.

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 321

Offered March 1, 2022
Celebrating the life of Dean Rhea.
Patron-- Campbell, J.L.

WHEREAS, Dean Rhea, a highly admired high school athletics coach who touched countless lives in and around Rural Retreat, died on February 12, 2022; and

WHEREAS, Dean Rhea grew up in Rich Valley and graduated from Rich Valley High School; he attended Emory & Henry College, then earned a bachelor’s degree from Bluefield State College, where he played football; and

WHEREAS, Dean Rhea began his career as an educator at Rich Valley High School, then joined Rural Retreat High School in 1986; and

WHEREAS, Dean Rhea led the Rural Retreat High School football team to unprecedented success; in his first season, he led the team to an 8–3 finish and its first Virginia High School League playoff appearance in school history; and

WHEREAS, over the course of 18 years as head coach, Dean Rhea secured a 135–66 overall record, four Region C Division 1 titles, and 11 trips to the postseason ; and

WHEREAS, after his retirement as head coach, Dean Rhea worked as Rural Retreat High School’s athletic director and interim wrestling coach, and despite moving to Tennessee in later life, he still drove more than an hour to serve as an assistant football coach; and

WHEREAS, Dean Rhea also helped lead the Rural Retreat Middle School football team to an undefeated season in 2021; and

WHEREAS, well known as a player’s coach and a trusted mentor, Dean Rhea helped the members of his teams achieve their fullest potential on and off the field; and

WHEREAS, Dean Rhea will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by his wife of 44 years, Reva; his sons, Dustin and Rusty, and their families; his mother, Opal; 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 Dean Rhea; 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 Dean Rhea as an expression of the General Assembly’s respect for his memory.