[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 23 (Tuesday, February 9, 2016)]
[Senate]
[Page S732]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      REMEMBERING A. DAVID HAMILL

 Mrs. CAPITO. Mr. President, today I wish to celebrate the life 
of Ranson Mayor A. David Hamill, who recently passed away at the age of 
71. I first met Dave following my election to the U.S. House of 
Representatives in 2000, and I came to know him as a passionate 
advocate for the city of Ranson. We began working together very early 
in my House tenure, revitalizing Ranson through Federal Brownfields 
initiatives.
  With his height, his booming voice, and his mischievous sense of 
humor, he certainly cut an impressive figure. And while he was in many 
ways a larger-than-life persona, his greatest strength was his 
willingness to listen. He tried to genuinely understand the needs of 
his constituents and the people with whom he worked. Indeed, his 
humility was evident in an excerpt from the open letter he wrote to the 
city last month, sharing his worsening prognosis. He wrote, ``I have 
tried to do what is best for the City of Ranson--sometimes my result 
may not have been successful as I planned, but it was not for my lack 
of passion or desire to do the right thing.''
  Born in Kitchener, Ontario, Dave met his wife, Helen, while working 
in Macon, GA. Although they married in Canada, Dave would always submit 
job applications to local employers when he and Helen would return to 
her hometown of Ranson, WV. They would return to Ranson for good in 
1979 when Dave was hired at Abex, in nearby Winchester, VA. Dave rose 
to become a certified purchasing manager and negotiated purchasing 
contracts for the company's eight factories in its North American 
division. When Dave became a U.S. citizen, he almost immediately began 
his public service career. Beginning with the planning commission, Dave 
soon became a member of Ranson's city council. In 1987, he was 
appointed mayor and was subsequently reelected seven consecutive times, 
most recently in 2013.
  Dave will be celebrated for his many accomplishments as mayor, 
including his work with the Brownfields initiative, the redevelopment 
surrounding the American Public University System campus, Ranson's 
annexations for future growth, the city's streetscape projects, 
Ranson's youth football field, and the Fairfax Boulevard extension 
project. The list could certainly go on, but to highlight only the 
accomplishments of the man would be to overshadow Dave's spirit and his 
dedication to the city he served.
  In addition to his wife, Helen, Dave is survived by his three 
children: Cindy, Melissa, and James; and nine grandchildren. In 
addition to his public service, Dave was also very active in the United 
Methodist Church, where he was a lay speaker and lay member to the 
Methodist Annual Conference.
  I will miss Mayor Dave Hamill, as will all who knew him. I am honored 
to have worked with this talented individual and am proud to have 
called Dave my friend for more than 15 years. Today I ask my colleagues 
to join me in honoring the memory of ``Ranson's Champion.''

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