FitzGerald Bemiss
| FitzGerald Bemiss | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Virginia Senate from the Richmond district |
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|
In office January 12, 1960 – January 1967 |
|
| Preceded by | Eugene B. Sydnor Jr. |
| Succeeded by | J. Sargeant Reynolds |
| Member of the Virginia House of Delegates from the Richmond, Virginia district |
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In office November 30, 1955 – January, 1960 |
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| Preceded by | Eugene B. Sydnor Jr. |
| Succeeded by | T. Coleman Andrews Jr. |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 2, 1922 Richmond, Virginia, U.S. |
| Died |
February 7, 2011 (aged 88) Richmond, Virginia, U.S. |
| Resting place | Hollywood Cemetery (Richmond, Virginia) |
| Political party |
Democratic Party Republican Party |
| Spouse(s) | Margaret Reid Page |
| Children | 1 son, 1 daughter |
| Residence | Richmond |
| Education |
St. Christopher's School Woodberry Forest School University of Virginia |
| Occupation | Politician, businessman, philanthropist |
FitzGerald Bemiss, also known as Gerry Bemiss, (October 2, 1922 – February 7, 2011) was an American businessman and philanthropist who also served in the Virginia General Assembly, representing the City of Richmond, Virginia in first the House of Delegates, and later the Senate.
FitzGerald Bemiss was born on October 2, 1922 in Richmond, Virginia to Samuel Merrifield Bemiss and Dorothy FitzGerald Bemiss. He had one sister Cynthia Bemiss Stuart) and was educated at St. Christopher's School and the Woodberry Forest School. He attended the University of Virginia for two years. In 1981, he received the University's Raven Award for his public service discussed below, and an honorary degree from his alma mater in 1983.
During World War II, Bemiss served in the United States Navy on destroyers in the Atlantic Ocean. In 1953 he married Margaret Reid Page. They had a son, Samuel M. Bemiss III, and a daughter, Margaret Wickham Bemiss.
Bemiss was a conservative Democratic businessman who initially was part of the Byrd Organization, but later joined the Republican Party. While serving part-time in the General Assembly as discussed below, Bemiss was vice-president of FitzGerald and Company (a family business), but ultimately resigned that legislative position because of his responsibilities as the president of Virginia Skyline Co. (another family business, that operated concessions along Skyline Drive through Shenandoah National Park and the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia). Bemiss also served on the Board of Directors of State Planters Bank (and its successors United Virginia Bank and Crestar Bank) from 1963 until 1992, and on the James River Paper Company board from 1972 until 1995.
Bemiss chaired Republican presidential candidate Dwight D. Eisenhower's campaign in Virginia.
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