2013 SPECIAL SESSION I
INTRODUCED REPRINT
13200110D INTRODUCED 1 HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 5038 2 Offered April 3, 2013 3 Prefiled April 1, 2013 4 Commending Martin Townes. 5 ±±±±±±±±±± Patron±±Howell, W.J. 6 ±±±±±±±±±± 7 WHEREAS, Martin Townes has been a part of the Commonwealth©s great history as the butler at the 8 200-year-old Virginia Executive Mansion, the oldest continuously occupied Governor©s home in the 9 United States; and 10 WHEREAS, Martin "Tutti" Townes comes from a family with a rich tradition of service to the 11 Virginia Executive Mansion±±his mother, Doris Townes Fleming; stepfather, William Fleming; cousin, 12 Janet Coleman; brothers, Theodore Townes and Marvin Townes; and wife, Stephanie, have all served 13 the First Families of Virginia in different capacities; and 14 WHEREAS, Tutti Townes has served Governors Gerald L. Baliles, L. Douglas Wilder, George F. 15 Allen, James S. Gilmore III, Mark R. Warner, Timothy M. Kaine, and Robert F. McDonnell, and their 16 families as a full-time butler with the utmost professionalism and courtesy; and 17 WHEREAS, a vital member of the Virginia Executive Mansion staff, Tutti Townes has a wealth of 18 knowledge about the historic building, which, during his tenure, has had its 175th and 200th 19 anniversaries; and 20 WHEREAS, as butler at the Virginia Executive Mansion, Tutti Townes has a wide array of duties 21 that include serving meals, supervising part-time wait staff, greeting guests at the door, maintaining
22 equipment, taking care of the Governor©s wardrobe, cooking when the chef is on vacation, and caring for HJ5038 23 numerous children and pets; and 24 WHEREAS, Tutti Townes has served or met such celebrities at the Virginia Executive Mansion as 25 Garth Brooks, Arthur Ashe, Rosa Parks, the Honorable Margaret Thatcher, George H.W. Bush, Bill and 26 Hillary Clinton, Barack and Michelle Obama, The Queen, Steven Spielberg, Jack Lemmon, Arnold 27 Schwarzenegger, Bill Cosby, Willard Scott, Bruce Willis, Tom Hanks, Sir Anthony Hopkins, and the 28 one who left him most star-struck, James Garner; and 29 WHEREAS, the First Families of Virginia have relied upon Tutti Townes© vast knowledge, calm 30 demeanor, and professional service during their residence in one of the most well-known historic homes 31 in the Commonwealth; now, therefore, be it 32 RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby 33 commend Martin Townes for his distinguished service as butler on the occasion of the 200th anniversary 34 of the Virginia Executive Mansion; and, be it 35 RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution 22:40 36 for presentation to Martin Townes as an expression of the General Assembly©s admiration for his 37 invaluable service to the First Families of Virginia. 11/17/13