| 1 | House Resolution |
| 2 | A resolution honoring the life of State Representative |
| 3 | David A. Coley. |
| 4 |
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| 5 | WHEREAS, David A. Coley, of Marianna, Florida, was elected |
| 6 | on November 2, 2004, to represent District 7 in the Florida |
| 7 | House of Representatives, and |
| 8 | WHEREAS, prior to his election as Representative, David A. |
| 9 | Coley served this House and the people of Northwest Florida as |
| 10 | Executive Secretary to Representative Robert Trammel, District |
| 11 | 7, from August 1993 to January 1994; as District Legislative |
| 12 | Assistant to Representative Jamey Westbrook, District 7, from |
| 13 | December 1996 to November 1998 and Representative Allan Bense, |
| 14 | District 6, from November 1998 to December 1999; and, |
| 15 | thereafter, as Senior Legislative Assistant to Representative |
| 16 | Bense until January 2004, and |
| 17 | WHEREAS, David A. Coley also served this House and the |
| 18 | people of Florida as Legislative Analyst in the House Judiciary |
| 19 | Committee from January 1994 to December 1996, which, combined |
| 20 | with his district service, completed in excess of ten continuous |
| 21 | years as a faithful and diligent House employee, and |
| 22 | WHEREAS, from January 2004, David A. Coley continued to |
| 23 | serve the people of Northwest Florida as Special Services |
| 24 | Coordinator for Chipola College, and |
| 25 | WHEREAS, David A. Coley served the people of Florida as a |
| 26 | volunteer with the Florida Highway Patrol Auxiliary, serving |
| 27 | continuously and keeping fully trained since 1986, rising to the |
| 28 | rank of Colonel, overseeing the auxiliary's Public Affairs and |
| 29 | Financial Operations Command, and, as Deputy Commander, serving |
| 30 | as the fourth-ranking officer of the nation's largest volunteer |
| 31 | law enforcement agency, and |
| 32 | WHEREAS, David A. Coley also served the people of Florida |
| 33 | as Legislative Assistant to Congressman Bill Grant, during which |
| 34 | service he coordinated the visit of President George H. W. Bush |
| 35 | to Tallahassee, Florida, the first President to visit |
| 36 | Tallahassee since President McKinley, and |
| 37 | WHEREAS, David A. Coley has served the public as a sports |
| 38 | writer and Managing Editor for the Jackson County Floridan, as |
| 39 | Managing Editor of the Graceville News, and as a member of the |
| 40 | Capitol Press Corps, and |
| 41 | WHEREAS, David A. Coley has been an outstanding example of |
| 42 | a public servant, citizen, and friend, a loving and dedicated |
| 43 | husband to Marti, his wife of 23 years, and a loving and |
| 44 | nurturing father to their children, Kristin, Vance, and Hunter, |
| 45 | and |
| 46 | WHEREAS, David A. Coley was a committed follower of Jesus |
| 47 | Christ and an active member of Evangel Worship Center in |
| 48 | Marianna, and |
| 49 | WHEREAS, David A. Coley was born on November 8, 1961, in |
| 50 | Louisville, Kentucky, moved to Graceville, Florida, in 1976, |
| 51 | graduated from Sneads High School in 1980, and pursued further |
| 52 | education at Chipola Junior College and Murray State University |
| 53 | in Kentucky, and |
| 54 | WHEREAS, David A. Coley passed away on Good Friday, March |
| 55 | 25, 2005, after a courageous battle with liver cancer, cutting |
| 56 | far too short a career of outstanding promise as member of this |
| 57 | House, and |
| 58 | WHEREAS, David A. Coley was a true statesman who |
| 59 | consistently placed the greater good ahead of any partisan or |
| 60 | political goals, and |
| 61 | WHEREAS, David A. Coley will be sorely missed and is deeply |
| 62 | mourned by the members and employees of the House of |
| 63 | Representatives along will all those who knew and loved him, |
| 64 | NOW, THEREFORE, |
| 65 |
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| 66 | Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of |
| 67 | Florida: |
| 68 |
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| 69 | That David A. Coley be remembered as the finest example of |
| 70 | a person, family man, citizen, and public servant; that he be |
| 71 | remembered in Session by a Memorial Service in his honor on this |
| 72 | 29th day of March 2005; that all Floridians, especially young |
| 73 | Floridians seeking an example in life, be encouraged to honor |
| 74 | and respect his example of love and life; and that this House |
| 75 | commit his soul to his LORD and his family to the care of God, |
| 76 | the Creator of Heaven and Earth, "Who is able to keep us from |
| 77 | falling and to present us before His glorious Presence without |
| 78 | fault and with great joy." |
| 79 | BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be |
| 80 | presented to the family of David A. Coley as a tangible token of |
| 81 | the sentiments expressed herein. |