SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION 752
By Johnson
A RESOLUTION to honor the memory of Ronald Lewis Schlicher of Brentwood.
WHEREAS, the members of this General Assembly were greatly saddened to learn of
the passing of Ronald Lewis Schlicher of Brentwood; and WHEREAS, Mr. Schlicher was an exemplary public servant and consummate professional who worked assiduously to improve the quality of life for his fellow citizens in
numerous capacities; and WHEREAS, with an unwavering sense of duty and patriotism, Ronald Schlicher honorably served the United States as a career diplomat for nearly three decades; and WHEREAS, born on September 16, 1956, in Sylacauga, Alabama, to Thelma Rothwell Schlicher and the late Lewis Ross Schlicher, Ronald Schlicher spent much of his youth in
Chattanooga, where he graduated from Red Bank High School; and WHEREAS, Mr. Schlicher earned his bachelor's degree and his doctorate of
jurisprudence at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville; he served as editor of the Law Review and graduated with highest honors; and WHEREAS, Ronald Schlicher entered foreign service in January 1982, and he served as
Vice Consul in Dhahran from September 1982 to March 1984; from 1984-1986, he served as
Consul in Damascus, Syria, thereafter returning to Washington, D.C., as Staff Assistant in the State Department's Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs (NEA); and WHEREAS, from 1987-1989, he was Deputy Principal Officer in Alexandria, Egypt, after which he transferred to the Embassy in Cairo, where he served as First Secretary and specialized in internal Egyptian politics and Islamic movements from 1989-1991; and WHEREAS, from 1991-1992, he was Chief Civilian Observer in the Multi-National Force and Observers, the international organization that monitors the security provisions of the Israeli-
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Egyptian Peace Treaty, before returning to the Department to serve as a Deputy Director for Regional Affairs in the Office of the Coordinator for Counterterrorism from 1992-1994; and WHEREAS, from 1994-1997, Mr. Schlicher served as Deputy Chief of Mission in Beirut,
Lebanon, before serving as the Director of the Office of Egyptian and North African Affairs in the NEA from 1997-2000. From 2000-2002, he served as Chief of Mission and Consul-General in
Jerusalem; and WHEREAS, during the war with Iraq in 2003, Mr. Schlicher was the Director of the Iraq Task Force and then served in Iraq with the Coalition Provisional Authority, first as Regional Coordinator for the North and then as Director of the Office of Provincial Outreach. From 2005-
2008, he served as U.S. Ambassador to Cypress before returning to Washington, D.C., to assume the position of Principal Deputy Assistant Coordinator of Counterterrorism; and WHEREAS, no stranger to awards and accolades, Ambassador Schlicher received the Distinguished Honor Award, three Superior Honor Awards, two Meritorious Honor Awards, a National Humint Collector Award, and the Christian A. Herter Award; and WHEREAS, he will be remembered for his far-reaching knowledge of the Middle East and the Arabic language, his constant professionalism, and his commitment to his colleagues;
and WHEREAS, a proud Tennessean and lifelong Volunteers fan, Mr. Schlicher retired from the U.S. State Department in 2011 and moved to Brentwood to be near his family and help take care of his mother; and WHEREAS, preceded in death by his grandparents, Clarence and Cora Schlicher and Sidney and Alice Rothwell, Ronald Schlicher was deeply devoted to his family, and he always endeavored to remain true to family values of the highest order; and WHEREAS, in addition to his mother, Mr. Schlicher is survived by his sister, Debbie
(Arthur) Rankin; his brother, Mike (Darlene) Schlicher; his niece, Katie (Donovan) Grigsby; his nephews, Lee (Kelly) Rankin, John (Elizabeth) Schlicher, and Michael Schlicher; four great-
nephews; and three great-nieces; and WHEREAS, Ronald Schlicher leaves behind an indelible legacy of integrity and probity in public life, compassion and loyalty in private life, and diligence and dedication in all his chosen endeavors; and SJR0752
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WHEREAS, it is fitting that the members of this General Assembly should pause to
remember the bountiful life of this exceptional public servant and human being; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED ELEVENTH GENERAL
ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
CONCURRING, that we honor the memory of Ronald Lewis Schlicher, reflecting fondly upon his impeccable character and his stalwart commitment to living the examined life with courage and conviction.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that we express our sympathy and offer our condolences to the family of Mr. Schlicher.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that an appropriate copy of this resolution be prepared for presentation with this final clause omitted from such copy.
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Amendment No. 1 to SJR0752
Johnson Signature of Sponsor AMEND Senate Joint Resolution No. 752*
By deleting the tenth WHEREAS clause of the preamble of the introduced resolution and substituting instead the following:
WHEREAS, during the war with Iraq in 2003, Mr. Schlicher was the Director of the Iraq Task Force and then served in Iraq with the Coalition Provisional Authority, first as Regional Coordinator for the North and then as Director of the Office of Provincial Outreach. From 2005-
2008, he served as U.S. Ambassador to Cyprus before returning to Washington, D.C., to assume the position of Principal Deputy Assistant Coordinator of Counterterrorism; and SA0473
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