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Celebrating the life of James Paul Councill III.
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 9, 2026
WHEREAS, James Paul Councill III, an honorable veteran, accomplished financial adviser, esteemed public servant, devoted family man, and beloved member of the Franklin community, died on January 8, 2026; and
WHEREAS, James “Jim” Paul Councill III graduated in 1963 from Franklin High School, where he had played football and basketball, and earned a bachelor's degree in history and political science from Hampden-Sydney College four years later; and
WHEREAS, after school, Jim Councill served his country with honor and distinction as a member of the United States Air Force, working for 10 years as an aircraft maintenance officer on C-141 and C-5 aircraft in Charleston, South Carolina; and
WHEREAS, Jim Councill and his family returned to Franklin in 1978 as he embarked upon a successful, half-century career in the financial services industry in his capacity as a Chartered Life Underwriter and Chartered Financial Consultant; and
WHEREAS, Jim Councill followed in the footsteps of his father, the Honorable J. Paul Councill, Jr., who was a former member of the House of Delegates, when he embraced the call to public service and led the City of Franklin as its mayor for 16 years; and
WHEREAS, Jim Councill's legacy as mayor of the City of Franklin includes leading the locality's recovery following the devastation of Hurricane Floyd in 1999 and Hurricane Isabel in 2006, as well as the creation of the Smart Beginnings program, an early childhood education initiative that has since been adopted throughout the Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, Jim Councill promoted good governance and supported localities across the Commonwealth by serving nine years with the Virginia Municipal League, including a term as president; and
WHEREAS, beyond his public service, Jim Councill gave generously of his time for the benefit of his community, serving as president of the Franklin Rotary Club and on the board of the Virginia Alliance of YMCAs and co-founding the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Eastern Virginia and a local Boys & Girls Club; and
WHEREAS, Jim Councill was guided in all aspects of his life by his faith and his dedication to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and he served eight years as bishop of the church's Franklin congregation and 10 years as a counselor of the Chesapeake Stake presidency; and
WHEREAS, of his many accomplishments, Jim Councill was most proud of his family, and he found immense joy in spending quality time with his wife, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, particularly at the Outer Banks or at the family's Boxwood Farm; and
WHEREAS, Jim Councill will be fondly remembered and dearly missed by his loving wife of 57 years, Dorothy; his children, Jay, Will, Clay, Jordan, and Ann, and their families; and numerous other family members and friends; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Delegates hereby note with great sadness the loss of James Paul Councill III, a pillar of the Franklin community whose integrity, faith, and service inspired 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 James Paul Councill III as an expression of the House of Delegates' respect for his memory.