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Celebrating the life of Alan Merrill Schuman.
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, March 2, 2026
Agreed to by the Senate, March 5, 2026
WHEREAS, Alan Merrill Schuman, a distinguished social worker, beloved husband and father, and active and engaged member of the Fairfax County community, died on July 27, 2025; and
WHEREAS, after graduating from Farragut High School in Chicago, Alan Schuman earned a bachelor's degree in psychology at the University of Illinois and a master's degree in psychiatric social work at Loyola University in Chicago; and
WHEREAS, Alan Schuman settled in the Washington, D.C., area in 1962 and embarked upon his career in social work as a juvenile probation officer with the Superior Court of the District of Columbia; and
WHEREAS, through hard work and dedication, Alan Schuman received a number of promotions, including two roles as the special assistant to the director of the Department of Corrections of the District of Columbia and as the superintendent of the youth center at the former Lorton Reformatory; and
WHEREAS, as a testament to his leadership, Alan Schuman was named the first director of the new Social Services Division established within the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, where he would remain for the next 22 years; and
WHEREAS, following his retirement from the Government of the District of Columbia, Alan Schuman found success in a second career as a consultant in the field of corrections management, assisting 22 different states with organizational development over a period of 10 years; and
WHEREAS, upon retiring from his work as a consultant, Alan Schuman continued to make an immeasurable impact on the lives of young people by volunteering with the Fairfax County Court Appointed Special Advocates, which he led as chair, and the Great Falls Youth Basketball League; and
WHEREAS, in recognition of his efforts in service to the community, Alan Schuman was presented the Lifetime Achievement Award by the organization Volunteer Fairfax in 2016; and
WHEREAS, Alan Schuman was an avid traveler who made it to 39 countries in his lifetime, including Cambodia, where he gave generously of his time as a teacher's aide assisting children living at the Steung Meanchey landfill in Phnom Penh; and
WHEREAS, Alan Schuman will be fondly remembered and dearly missed by his loving wife of 51 years, Joyce; his children, Grant, Lisa, Laurel, Chip, and Alyson, and their families; and numerous other family members and friends; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby note with great sadness the loss of Alan Merrill Schuman, a revered member of the Fairfax County community whose legacy of service is an inspiration to all who knew him; and, be it
RESOLVED FURTHER, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a copy of this resolution for presentation to the family of Alan Merrill Schuman as an expression of the General Assembly's respect for his memory.