WHEREAS, Samuel Morgan Church, Jr., the former United Mine Workers of America president, died on July 14, 2009; and

WHEREAS, a native of West Virginia, Samuel (Sam) Church was born on September 20, 1936, to Samuel and Helen Cook Church and was one of eight children; and

WHEREAS, as a young man, Sam Church moved to Baltimore and worked at a sugar plant; in 1965 he returned home to Southwest Virginia and began work as an electrician and mechanic, first at Clinchfield Coal Company and later at Westmoreland Coal Company; and

WHEREAS, Sam Church became involved with the United Mine Workers of America Local 1055 and with a flair for organizing and rallying people, rose quickly through the union ranks until 1975, when he joined the staff of the United Mine Workers of America headquarters; and

WHEREAS, Sam Church succeeded to the presidency of the United Mine Workers of America in 1979 and served until 1982; he inherited a union that faced many difficulties and shrinking membership; and

WHEREAS, a determined and resourceful leader, Sam Church worked diligently on behalf of the mine workers for improved mine safety regulations and benefits for black-lung disease victims; and

WHEREAS, Sam Church also pushed for extended pension rights to the widows of miners who had retired under the 1950 Health and Retirement Benefit Plan; the extended pension rights affected approximately 40,000 women; and

WHEREAS, after a failed bid for a full five-year term as president, Sam Church returned to Virginia, where he continued to work in the coal mines for a period; and

WHEREAS, Sam Church was actively involved in the community, serving on the Appalachia Town Council and the Wise County Board of Supervisors; he also served as coordinator of the Virginia Coal Miners' Political Action Committee, where he worked with members of the General Assembly on both sides of the aisle; and

WHEREAS, born into a coal-mining family and a coal miner himself, Sam Church understood the experiences of the hard-working men and women who worked as coal miners and worked diligently on their behalf for much of his life; and

WHEREAS, Sam Church will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by his loving wife of 31 years, Patti Page Church; his children and their families; and numerous friends and admirers; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly note with great sadness the loss of a dedicated union leader and public servant, Samuel Morgan Church, Jr.; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of Samuel Morgan Church, Jr., as an expression of the General Assembly's respect for his memory.