| 1 | 1 | | 25 LC 129 0077 |
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| 2 | 2 | | Senate Resolution 63 |
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| 3 | 3 | | By: Senators Kirkpatrick of the 32nd, Albers of the 56th, Williams of the 25th, Burns of the |
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| 4 | 4 | | 23rd, Moore of the 53rd and others |
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| 5 | 5 | | A RESOLUTION |
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| 6 | 6 | | Honoring the life and memory of Joseph Gavalis; and for other purposes. |
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| 7 | 7 | | 1 |
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| 8 | 8 | | WHEREAS, the State of Georgia mourns the loss of one of its most distinguished citizens2 |
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| 9 | 9 | | with the passing of Joseph Gavalis; and3 |
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| 10 | 10 | | WHEREAS, during his distinguished career as a federal agent, Joseph Gavalis fought against4 |
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| 11 | 11 | | organized crime and labor racketeering, taking on dangerous mobsters and corrupt labor5 |
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| 12 | 12 | | bosses to protect workers striving to make a living; and6 |
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| 13 | 13 | | WHEREAS, after retiring from federal law enforcement, he and his wife, Susan, settled in7 |
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| 14 | 14 | | Cobb County, Georgia, where he served as a leader and president of his homeowner's8 |
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| 15 | 15 | | association, resolving neighbors' concerns, navigating local government, and acting as a9 |
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| 16 | 16 | | liaison with local police; and10 |
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| 17 | 17 | | WHEREAS, Joseph Gavalis volunteered extensively with the Cobb County government,11 |
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| 18 | 18 | | serving on the Cobb Neighborhood Safety Commission and as a founding member of the12 |
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| 19 | 19 | | Cobb County Elder Abuse Task Force, where he collaborated with officials and legislators13 |
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| 20 | 20 | | to combat elder abuse; and14 |
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| 21 | 21 | | S. R. 63 |
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| 22 | 22 | | - 1 - 25 LC 129 0077 |
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| 23 | 23 | | WHEREAS, as founder of the North Georgia Elder Abuse Task Force, he worked with local |
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| 24 | 24 | | 15 |
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| 25 | 25 | | and federal law enforcement across the region, educated groups about scams targeting the16 |
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| 26 | 26 | | elderly, and helped resolve local issues related to elder abuse; and17 |
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| 27 | 27 | | WHEREAS, over 10 years, he conducted workshops for approximately 10,000 seniors,18 |
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| 28 | 28 | | teaching them about elder abuse prevention and distributing scent kits to help locate19 |
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| 29 | 29 | | dementia sufferers before harm could occur; and20 |
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| 30 | 30 | | WHEREAS, he gave inspiration to many through his high ideals, morals, and deep concern21 |
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| 31 | 31 | | for his fellow citizens, and the devotion, patience, and understanding he demonstrated to his22 |
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| 32 | 32 | | family and friends were admired by others; and23 |
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| 33 | 33 | | WHEREAS, he was a person of magnanimous strengths with an unimpeachable reputation24 |
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| 34 | 34 | | for integrity, intelligence, fairness, and kindness, and by the example he made of his life, he25 |
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| 35 | 35 | | made this world a better place in which to live; and26 |
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| 36 | 36 | | WHEREAS, a compassionate and generous man, Joseph Gavalis will long be remembered27 |
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| 37 | 37 | | for his love of family, friendship, and community and will be missed by all who had the great28 |
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| 38 | 38 | | fortune of knowing him.29 |
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| 39 | 39 | | NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE that the members of this body30 |
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| 40 | 40 | | join in honoring the life and memory of Joseph Gavalis and express their deepest and most31 |
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| 41 | 41 | | sincere regret at his passing.32 |
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| 42 | 42 | | BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of the Senate is authorized and directed33 |
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| 43 | 43 | | to make an appropriate copy of this resolution available for distribution to the family of34 |
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| 44 | 44 | | Joseph Gavalis.35 |
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| 45 | 45 | | S. R. 63 |
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| 46 | 46 | | - 2 - |
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