Bill Text: VA SJR144 | 2022 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Celebrating the life of the Reverend Jeanne Marie Pupke.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 7-0)
Status: (Passed) 2022-02-28 - Bill text as passed Senate and House (SJ144ER) [SJR144 Detail]
Download: Virginia-2022-SJR144-Introduced.html
WHEREAS, the Reverend Jeanne Marie Pupke, esteemed senior minister of the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Richmond and a beloved member of the Richmond community, died on February 9, 2022; and
WHEREAS, after college, Jeanne Pupke joined The Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, but left after four years and diverged from her Catholic faith soon thereafter; and
WHEREAS, while attending graduate school at the University of Missouri, Jeanne Pupke joined Diemakers, Inc., a small tool die company, as a consultant, ultimately rising to the rank of vice president of administration; later, she also worked as chief operating officer at Batdorf & Bronson Coffee Roasters in Olympia, Washington; and
WHEREAS, Jeanne Pupke was called to the ministry, graduating from Meadville Lombard Theological School before assuming a part-time pastorship with the Unitarian Universalist (UU) Fellowship of Central Oregon in Bend, Oregon, and serving as a growth minister for the church's Pacific Northwest District; and
WHEREAS, Jeanne Pupke became pastor of First Unitarian Universalist Church of Richmond in 2006, and since that time the congregation has grown into one of the largest in the denomination; and
WHEREAS, emphasizing the recognition of members' religious diversity, Jeanne Pupke became a leader of the denomination nationwide, serving a four-year term on the Unitarian Universalist Association Board of Trustees, where she chaired the finance committee; and
WHEREAS, Jeanne Pupke has counseled many aspiring ministers as a ministerial internship supervisor and a member of the Meadville Lombard Theological School Board of Trustees, allowing her spiritual guidance to radiate beyond her community; and
WHEREAS, as a founding member and a director of the UU Legislative Ministry in the Commonwealth, Jeanne Pupke advocated tirelessly in support of racial justice and women's, LGBTQ+, and youth rights; and
WHEREAS, Jeanne Pupke often delivered the morning prayer at the General Assembly, providing its members with a moment for reflection and contemplation at the outset of their day; and
WHEREAS, Jeanne Pupke will be fondly remembered and dearly missed by her spouse of 28 years, Regina; her mother, Ruth; and numerous other family members and friends; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly hereby note with great sadness the loss of the Reverend Jeanne Marie Pupke, senior pastor of First Unitarian Universalist Church of Richmond, whose loving compassion, integrity, and commitment to her faith have touched countless lives; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of the Reverend Jeanne Marie Pupke as an expression of the General Assembly's respect for her memory.
