Georgia House Honors Jon Richards

Speaker David Ralston honors Jon Richards

House Resolution 795

By: Representatives Ralston of the 7th, Abrams of the 89th, Burns of the 159th, Taylor of the 79th, Brockway of the 102nd, Cox of the 108th and others

A RESOLUTION

Honoring the life and memory of Jonathan Blair Richards; and for other purposes.

WHEREAS, the State of Georgia mourns the loss of one of its most distinguished citizens with the passing of Jonathan Blair Richards on March 26, 2017; and

WHEREAS, Jonathan Blair Richards has long been recognized by the citizens of this state for the vital role that he has played in leadership and his deep personal commitment to the welfare of the citizens of Georgia; and

WHEREAS, he was the front-page editor of the Georgia focused political website, PeachPundit, later serving as Editor-In-Chief of GeorgiaPol.com; and

WHEREAS, Jonathan was a staple of the Georgia statehouse press corps, organizing countless GOP events across the state, taking thousands of pictures at gatherings and committee meetings, and tirelessly chronicling the state’s fast-moving political scene; and

WHEREAS, talented and dedicated, he received numerous awards and honors, including being named Volunteer of the Year at the 2015 Georgia GOP Convention, which left him beaming for days afterward; and

WHEREAS, born on November 27, 1955, in Ohio, Jonathan was a beloved son of the late Glenn and Caroline Richards and a doting uncle to nephews Cal, Matthew, and Stuart; and

WHEREAS, a graduate of Indian Hill High School in Cincinnati, Ohio, Jonathan earned a bachelor’s degree in communication from Allegheny College, after which he moved to Lawrenceville, Georgia, where he began his career with Samna, now IBM; and

WHEREAS, a successful independent and self-made businessman, Jonathan created an early web based enterprise and operated one of the first online weather services, Lawrencevilleweather.com; and

WHEREAS, Jonathan devoted innumerable hours of his time, talents, and energy toward the betterment of his community and state as evidenced dramatically by his commitment to the Gwinnett Chamber of Commerce, the Gwinnett Republican Party, and other civic, social, and political organizations; and

WHEREAS, he had a love for photography and was the semi-official photographer of many Georgia civic and political groups; and

WHEREAS, one of his greatest and most lasting achievements was his mentorship of high school and college students interested in politics, devoting countless hours developing meaningful relationships with those desiring to be future leaders, helping them understand the current role of politics and politicians; and

WHEREAS, he gave inspiration to many through his high ideals, morals, and deep concern for his fellow citizens, and the devotion, patience, and understanding he demonstrated to his family and friends were admired by others; and

WHEREAS, he was a person of magnanimous strengths with an unimpeachable reputation for integrity, intelligence, fairness, and kindness, and by the example he made of his life, he made this world a better place in which to live; and

WHEREAS, a compassionate and generous man, Jonathan Blair Richards will long be remembered for his love of family and friendship, commitment to public service, and passionate advocacy for Georgia’s young people and will be missed by all who had the great fortune of knowing him.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that the members of this body join in honoring the life and memory of Jonathan Blair Richards and express their deepest and most sincere regret at his passing.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized and directed to make appropriate copies of this resolution available for distribution to the family of Jonathan Blair Richards.