2011 -- S 0082

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LC00698

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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2011

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S E N A T E R E S O L U T I O N

EXPRESSING CONDOLENCES ON THE PASSING OF GEORGE L. SUTCLIFFE

     Introduced By: Senator John J. Tassoni

     Date Introduced: January 27, 2011

     Referred To: Recommended for Immediate Consideration

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     WHEREAS, It is with great sadness that this Senate has learned of the passing of George L.

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Sutcliffe, the devoted husband of Olive Sutcliffe, the loving father of Lynne Lawrence and her

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husband, Jerry, and Barry Sutcliffe and his wife, Paula.  He was also the grandfather of Peter

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Lawrence and his wife, Tammi, Brad, Aaron, Mark, and the late Jay Lawrence, and the great

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grandfather of Brenna Lynne Lawrence; and

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     WHEREAS, Born in North Providence to the late George and Gladys Sutcliffe, Mr. Sutcliffe

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had been a resident of the village of Greenville; and

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     WHEREAS, Mr. Sutcliffe had served our country with honor and distinction as a fighter

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pilot during World War II.  He completed over eighty successful missions including four on D-DAY;

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and

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     WHEREAS, During an air battle over Lisieux, France, Mr. Sutcliffe outmaneuvered forty

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enemy warplanes and earned world-wide recognition.  The events were later documented on the

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History Channel’s series “Dogfights.”  He was inducted into the Smithfield Heritage Hall of Fame,

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the State of Rhode Island Hall of Fame, and the State of Rhode Island Aviation Hall of Fame for his

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heroic actions, and earned membership in the Caterpillar Club for bailing out of his plane in 1943;

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and

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     WHEREAS, A hard-working man, who possessed an abundance of business acumen and an

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equal measure of compassion, Mr. Sutcliffe had co-founded the Bradford-Sutcliffe Insurance Agency

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in 1957 and established the Jay G. Lawrence Foundation in 2001; and

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     WHEREAS, Always an active and contributing member of the community, Mr. Sutcliffe

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was a past president of the Smithfield Lions Club, a member of the Quiet Birdman Pilot Association,

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the Smithfield Memorial Veterans’ Committee, the Quonset Air Museum, Smithfield VFW #2929,

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and a charter member of the National World War II Museum Committee; and

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     WHEREAS, Mr. Sutcliffe was a steadfast gentleman and a consummate humanitarian who

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left this world a far better place because of his life’s endeavors.  He enriched the lives of all who

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knew him and he will be dearly missed; now, therefore be it

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     RESOLVED, That this Senate of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations

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hereby expresses our deepest sympathies to the entire Sutcliffe and Lawrence Families on the

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passing of George L. Sutcliffe; and be it further  

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     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and he hereby is authorized and directed to

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transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Olive Sutcliffe and Family.

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LC00698

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