WHEREAS, Tara Welch Gallagher of Virginia Beach, a devoted wife and mother and a respected member of the Virginia Beach Department of Public Works, died on May 31, 2019; and

WHEREAS, a graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School in Portsmouth, Tara Gallagher went on to earn a bachelor's degree in civil engineering and a master's degree in environmental engineering from Old Dominion University; and

WHEREAS, before joining the Virginia Beach Department of Public Works as an engineer, Tara Gallagher offered her expertise to the Virginia Beach Convention Center and Clark Nexsen, the architecture and engineering design firm; and

WHEREAS, in the course of her six-year career with the Virginia Beach Department of Public Works, Tara Gallagher helped oversee and maintain critical public infrastructure, greatly enhancing the quality of life of all city residents; and

WHEREAS, Tara Gallagher earned the admiration of her coworkers for her compassion, humility, and unfailing professionalism; and

WHEREAS, Tara Gallagher's greatest joy in life was her family; she will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by her husband, Patrick; her son, Patrick III; her parents, Wanda and Dickie; and numerous other family members, friends, and colleagues at the Virginia Beach Department of Public Works; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the Senate of Virginia hereby note with great sadness the loss of Tara Welch Gallagher, a beloved member of the Virginia Beach community and a dedicated civil servant; and, be it

RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the Senate prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of Tara Welch Gallagher as an expression of the Senate of Virginia's respect for her memory.