2024 -- H 7001

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LC003268

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2024

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H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

EXPRESSING CONDOLENCES ON THE PASSING OF THE HONORABLE JAMES F.

DAVEY

     Introduced By: Representatives Fenton-Fung, Place, Nardone, J. Brien, Bennett,
McNamara, Newberry, Corvese, Shekarchi, and Blazejewski

     Date Introduced: January 02, 2024

     Referred To: House read and passed

     WHEREAS, It is with deep sadness that this House has learned of the passing of James F.

Davey, our former colleague and longtime resident of Rhode Island; and

     WHEREAS, James Davey was born on Parris Island, South Carolina, to a Navy family.

He was a son of the late Admiral Thomas and Catherine Davey, and was the devoted husband of

his late wife, Carmelita "Connie" Davey; and

     WHEREAS, Common to life in a military family, James Davey travelled extensively as a

young man due to his father receiving new assignments from the United States Navy. One of his

homes was on Ford Island in Pearl Harbor, where he witnessed the horrific attack by the Japanese

on the United States on the fateful day of December 7th, 1941. For the rest of his life, he

remembered watching battleship row torn asunder in flames and the deaths and serious injuries to

the sailors, many of whom had befriended him while he would watch them work; and

     WHEREAS, At a later date, when it was safe to sail, Mr. Davey's family left Hawaii and

moved to Rhode Island, where he developed his lifelong devotion to the Boston Red Sox. He was

a smart and athletic teenager who went on to graduate from North Kingstown High School and

the University of Rhode Island, where he met the love of his life, Connie Trigo, whom he married

in 1960, and together raised two children; and

     WHEREAS, James Davey moved to Virginia in the early 1960s and began his long and

distinguished public service career. His first position was with the United States Department of

Agriculture, where he served as an Auditor both at home and abroad. During this period, he

attended evening classes at Georgetown Law School and after attaining his law degree, he was

selected to join a small task force whose job was to conduct a management review of the

Washington D.C. court system. His stellar work on this project led to a career in federal court

administration; and

     WHEREAS, In 1970, Mr. Davey was appointed the Chief Clerk of the U.S. District

Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, a position he held until his retirement in 1991. He

was widely admired for his legal acumen, tireless work ethic, and for being an innovator and

reformer. Many of his initiatives would be adopted by all of the Federal Courts. Once again, key

historical events touched Mr. Davey’s life, including the Watergate trials, the Pentagon Papers,

and the trial of John Hinckley. He also served as the President of the Federal Clerks' Association

(FCAA) in 1976; and

     WHEREAS, Among his many accomplishments, Mr. Davey served a term in the Rhode

Island House of Representatives, climbed mountains, and ran marathons. His other interests

included travelling the world, playing softball, body surfing, kayaking, skydiving, playing card

games and following his beloved Boston Red Sox, but most important always in his life was his

family; and

     WHEREAS, Mr. Davey leaves behind his son and daughter-in-law, Scott and Kathleen

Davey, his grandchildren, Kelly, Patrick, Ryan and Sean, and his daughter and son-in-law, Lynn

Davey and Benjamin Dudley. He is also survived by his brothers Thomas Davey and John Davey

and his wife, Barbara, and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his sister,

Catherine; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby

expresses its deepest condolences on the passing of the Honorable James F. Davey; and be it

further

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

transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Scott Davey, and Lynn Davey and Family.

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