WHEREAS, Mervin Jackson, a respected public servant and former vice mayor of Leesburg, died on April 10, 2009; and

WHEREAS, a native of Leesburg, Mervin Jackson was born on November 10, 1929, to Anna Jackson and Charles Stinger; and

WHEREAS, as a young man, Mervin Jackson worked at Whitmore General Store in Leesburg and then at Melpar Industries in Falls Church; and

WHEREAS, a valued and hardworking employee, Mervin Jackson worked as a bindery specialist with the Federal Bureau of Investigation at its Washington, D.C., headquarters until his retirement in 1994; and

WHEREAS, an active and respected member of the Leesburg community, Mervin Jackson was appointed to the Leesburg Planning Commission in 1975 and served on the panel until 1999; he served as the Planning Commission's representative to the town's Board of Architectural Review from 1989 until 1999; and

WHEREAS, Mervin Jackson was appointed to a seat on the Town Council in 1999 and was elected to a full four-year term in May 2000; he served as vice mayor from 2002 until 2004; and

WHEREAS, Mervin Jackson ably represented the Council as a member of the Standing Residential Traffic Committee, the Board of Architectural Review, and the Joint Town/County Annexation Area Development Policy Committee; and

WHEREAS, respected for his calm manner and ability to deal with conflict, Mervin Jackson worked with great faithfulness on behalf of the citizens of Leesburg for almost three decades; and

WHEREAS, Mervin Jackson lived his faith through his actions and as a former member of Providence Baptist Church, where he served as a superintendent, church treasurer, and Sunday School teacher, and more recently as a member of First Mount Olive Baptist Church; and

WHEREAS, Mervin Jackson's calm demeanor served him well while umpiring baseball games; he also enjoyed fishing and hunting and spending time with his beloved family; and

WHEREAS, Mervin Jackson will be fondly remembered for his compassionate and generous nature and sorely missed by his loving wife of 52 years, Jean Ford Jackson; their two daughters, Teresa Brooks and Vernita Jackson, and their families; and his numerous friends and admirers; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the General Assembly mourn the passing of a dedicated public servant and outstanding Virginian, Mervin Jackson; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of Mervin Jackson as an expression of the General Assembly's respect for his memory.