Read the full stored bill text
H8565
2026 -- H 8565
========
LC006480
========
STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
____________
H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N
EXPRESSING CONDOLENCES ON THE PASSING OF THE HONORABLE BURTON
STALLWOOD
Introduced By:
Representatives Shallcross Smith, Blazejewski, Kazarian, Chippendale,
Paplauskas, Santucci, Ajello, Fogarty, Shanley, and Spears
Date Introduced:
May 19, 2026
Referred To:
House read and passed
1
WHEREAS, It is with deep sadness that this House of Representatives has learned of the
2
passing of the Honorable Burton "Burt" Stallwood, of Fairfax, Virginia, and formerly of Lincoln,
3
Rhode Island. He was the beloved husband of the late Jane Stallwood; and
4
WHEREAS, Burton Stallwood was born in 1939 in Attleboro, Massachusetts, the son of
5
the late Harold and Margaret Stallwood. He graduated from Tolman High School in Pawtucket,
6
and later graduated from Johnson & Wales University, where he earned an Associate Degree in
7
Business Administration, and later attended the John F. Kennedy School of Government at
8
Harvard University, where he completed a program for senior executives in state and local
9
government; and
10
WHEREAS, Mr. Stallwood served our nation with honor and distinction as a member of
11
the United States Air Force, beginning in 1960, attaining the rank of Senior Airman prior to his
12
honorable discharge. After completing his military service, Mr. Stallwood returned to Rhode
13
Island and established and operated the highly successful Stallwood Insurance and Real Estate
14
Agency from 1964 to 1972; and
15
WHEREAS, In 1973, Burton Stallwood was elected to serve as the Town Administrator
16
of Lincoln and served the citizens of Lincoln in that position for 28 years with tireless devotion
17
and abiding integrity. As the longest-serving municipal chief executive in the Town's history, he
18
guided the Town to greater growth, nurtured a strong business climate within the Town, created a
19
safe environment for people to work, play and raise families, and was widely admired for his
1
incredible work ethic and stellar leadership skills; and
2
WHEREAS, Following his municipal service to the Town of Lincoln, Mr. Stallwood was
3
nominated by President George W. Bush in June of 2002, to serve as United States Marshal for
4
the District of Rhode Island. Mr. Stallwood was confirmed by the United States Senate on August
5
1, 2002, and proceeded to serve our nation with distinction for seven years; and
6
WHEREAS, Throughout his long and distinguished public service career, Mr. Stallwood
7
lent his time and talents in support of numerous charitable, civic and governmental entities. He
8
was actively involved in the Rhode Island Jaycees (Junior Chamber), serving as the President of
9
the Rhode Island Chapter and later served as their National Vice President. He was later awarded
10
the designation of JCI Senator, a national lifetime honor awarded by the Junior Chamber
11
International in recognition of his outstanding leadership and sustained service; and
12
WHEREAS, Throughout his long and distinguished career, Mr. Stallwood held numerous
13
positions of great influence at the state and national levels to include serving on the Board of
14
Directors of the National League of Cities, the Governor's Growth Planning Council, the
15
Governor’s Advisory Committee on Judicial Appointments, as an Executive Board liaison to the
16
Governor through the Rhode Island League of Cities and Towns, the Rhode Island Solid Waste
17
Management Corporation, and the John H. Chafee Blackstone River Valley Heritage Corridor
18
Commission. Mr. Stallwood also served as a delegate with the United States Envoy to the Baltic
19
States Foundation, where he helped teach the principles of democracy to the emerging leaders of
20
the newly democratic Baltic States; and
21
WHEREAS, Locally, Mr. Stallwood was an active member of numerous organizations
22
including the Blackstone Valley Historical Society, Save the Bay, the Knights of Columbus, the
23
American Cancer Society, and the Rhode Island Zoological Society; and
24
WHEREAS Mr. Stallwood was an active Republican who served the party on the
25
national level, including chairing the Rhode Island Reagan-Bush Election Committee, serving as
26
a delegate to the Republican National Convention, and on the Republican National Platform
27
Committee; and
28
WHEREAS, Mr. Stallwood received many honors in recognition of his esteemed public
29
service life, including the Distinguished Alumni Award from Johnson & Wales University, and
30
induction into the Cumberland-Lincoln Boys & Girls Club Hall of Fame. Mr. Stallwood was also
31
honored officially by the State of Rhode Island with proclamations proclaiming October 26, 1998
32
to be "Burton Stallwood Appreciation Day" in the State of Rhode Island, and "Burt Stallwood
33
Recognition Day" on May 6, 2001; and
34
WHEREAS, Mr. Stallwood was a man of deep Christian faith and was heavily involved
LC006480 - Page 2 of 3
1
in the church life of his community, particularly at St. Ambrose Church in Albion, where he
2
served as a Eucharistic Minister and Parish Trustee. In 2017, he was honored with the Lumen
3
Gentium Award for Public Service, presented by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Providence, in
4
recognition of his lifetime of faithful and ethical public leadership; and
5
WHEREAS, Mr. Stallwood is survived by his three children, Scott Stallwood and his
6
wife, Becky, Gregg Stallwood and his wife, Gail, and Tracey Gardiner and her husband, Ed,
7
along with his grandchildren, Patrick Stallwood and his wife, Christina, Emma, Elise, Tyler and
8
Cassie Stallwood, Elena Poole and her husband, Channing, John Gardiner and his wife, Sarah,
9
Elizabeth Salazar and her husband, Alex, and Ward, Colson and Erin Gardiner. Mr. Stallwood
10
also leaves behind his great-grandchildren, Nina, Edie, Rhodes, Josie, James and Abigail, as well
11
as his sisters, Carol Miles, Margaret Stallwood and Deborah Stallwood. He was the brother of the
12
late Harold Stallwood Jr., and Kathryn Kitchen; now, therefore be it
13
RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby
14
expresses its deepest condolences to the Stallwood Family on the passing of the Honorable
15
Burton Stallwood; and be it further
16
RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to
17
transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to Scott Stallwood, Gregg Stallwood and Tracey
18
Gardiner.
========
LC006480
========
LC006480 - Page 3 of 3