HJ745: Celebrating the life of Albert Jack Stodghill.


HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 745
Celebrating the life of Albert Jack Stodghill.

 

Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 20, 2023
Agreed to by the Senate, February 22, 2023

 

WHEREAS, Albert Jack Stodghill, the longtime planning director of the City of Newport News who helped the community become one of the Commonwealth’s largest cities, died on October 2, 2022; and

WHEREAS, born in Georgia, Jack Stodghill grew up on his family’s farm between Atlanta and Macon and graduated from Jackson High School in 1944; he joined many of the other young men of his generation in service to the nation during World War II, when he enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps after graduating high school; and

WHEREAS, during his military training, Jack Stodghill studied at Davidson College and at what is now the University of North Georgia, then deployed to Germany as part of the occupation force; and

WHEREAS, following his military service, Jack Stodghill earned a bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture from the University of Georgia, then returned to Atlanta, where he began a lifelong career in city planning and raised his family; and

WHEREAS, early in his career, Jack Stodghill developed comprehensive plans for Miami Beach, Naples, Vero Beach, Fort Pierce, and Clearwater in Florida, as well as Waynesboro, Virginia, and Toccoa, Georgia; and

WHEREAS, in 1961, Jack Stodghill accepted a position as the planning director of the newly expanded City of Newport News; over the next 14 years, he created the city’s first zoning ordinance, planned Newport News Park, established Hilton Village as a historic district and created the Hilton Village Architectural Review Board, and developed City Center at Oyster Point; and

WHEREAS, during that time, Jack Stodghill also earned a master’s degree from George Washington University, and in 1975, he opened a planning consulting firm originally known as Jack Stodghill & Associates, where he continued to perform professional planning and management services for the next 35 years; the business was later reorganized as Planning Management Associates and still serves the community today as PMA Architecture; and

WHEREAS, highly respected in his field, Jack Stodghill established the Virginia Chapter of the American Planning Association wherein he served as the chapter’s first president; in 2014 he received the prestigious honor of being admitted into the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Certified Planners; and

WHEREAS, Jack Stodghill enjoyed fellowship and worship with the Newport News community as a member of First United Methodist Church, where he helped lead the Sunday school program and guided projects to replace the church organ and install an elevator; and

WHEREAS, guided by his faith to help others, Jack Stodghill led members of his church to Florida to assist in rebuilding in the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew in 1992, and later became involved in constructing houses with the local affiliate of Habitat for Humanity in Newport News; and

WHEREAS, outside of his career and community service, Jack Stodghill was a skilled amateur guitarist who began playing in his youth; only 10 days before his death, his final song was played in a talent show at Warwick Forest and he was awarded first place; and

WHEREAS, predeceased by his wife of 57 years, Nancy, Jack Stodghill will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by his sons, Jeff, Carl, and David, and their families, and numerous other family members, friends, and colleagues; 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 Albert Jack Stodghill; 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 Albert Jack Stodghill as an expression of the General Assembly’s respect for his memory.

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 745

Offered February 17, 2023
Celebrating the life of Albert Jack Stodghill.
Patrons-- Simonds and Mullin; Senator: Mason

WHEREAS, Albert Jack Stodghill, the longtime planning director of the City of Newport News who helped the community become one of the Commonwealth’s largest cities, died on October 2, 2022; and

WHEREAS, born in Georgia, Jack Stodghill grew up on his family’s farm between Atlanta and Macon and graduated from Jackson High School in 1944; he joined many of the other young men of his generation in service to the nation during World War II, when he enlisted in the United States Army Air Corps after graduating high school; and

WHEREAS, during his military training, Jack Stodghill studied at Davidson College and at what is now the University of North Georgia, then deployed to Germany as part of the occupation force; and

WHEREAS, following his military service, Jack Stodghill earned a bachelor’s degree in landscape architecture from the University of Georgia, then returned to Atlanta, where he began a lifelong career in city planning and raised his family; and

WHEREAS, early in his career, Jack Stodghill developed comprehensive plans for Miami Beach, Naples, Vero Beach, Fort Pierce, and Clearwater in Florida, as well as Waynesboro, Virginia, and Toccoa, Georgia; and

WHEREAS, in 1961, Jack Stodghill accepted a position as the planning director of the newly expanded City of Newport News; over the next 14 years, he created the city’s first zoning ordinance, planned Newport News Park, established Hilton Village as a historic district and created the Hilton Village Architectural Review Board, and developed City Center at Oyster Point; and

WHEREAS, during that time, Jack Stodghill also earned a master’s degree from George Washington University, and in 1975, he opened a planning consulting firm originally known as Jack Stodghill & Associates, where he continued to perform professional planning and management services for the next 35 years; the business was later reorganized as Planning Management Associates and still serves the community today as PMA Architecture; and

WHEREAS, highly respected in his field, Jack Stodghill established the Virginia Chapter of the American Planning Association wherein he served as the chapter’s first president; in 2014 he received the prestigious honor of being admitted into the College of Fellows of the American Institute of Certified Planners; and

WHEREAS, Jack Stodghill enjoyed fellowship and worship with the Newport News community as a member of First United Methodist Church, where he helped lead the Sunday school program and guided projects to replace the church organ and install an elevator; and

WHEREAS, guided by his faith to help others, Jack Stodghill led members of his church to Florida to assist in rebuilding in the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew in 1992, and later became involved in constructing houses with the local affiliate of Habitat for Humanity in Newport News; and

WHEREAS, outside of his career and community service, Jack Stodghill was a skilled amateur guitarist who began playing in his youth; only 10 days before his death, his final song was played in a talent show at Warwick Forest and he was awarded first place; and

WHEREAS, predeceased by his wife of 57 years, Nancy, Jack Stodghill will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by his sons, Jeff, Carl, and David, and their families; and numerous other family members, friends, and colleagues; 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 Albert Jack Stodghill; 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 Albert Jack Stodghill as an expression of the General Assembly’s respect for his memory.