2012
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       
       SENATE MEMORIAL 12-002
       
       
       BY SENATOR(S) Foster and Steadman,  Aguilar, Bacon, Boyd, Brophy,
       Cadman, Carroll, Giron, Grantham, Guzman, Harvey, Heath, Hodge,
       Hudak, Jahn, Johnston, King K., King S., Lambert, Lundberg, Morse,
       Neville, Newell, Nicholson, Renfroe, Roberts, Scheffel, Schwartz,
       Spence, Tochtrop, White, Williams S., Shaffer B.
       
       
          MEMORIALIZING FORMER SENATOR ROBERT S. WHAM. 
       
       
          WHEREAS, Our respected former colleague, Robert "Bob" Shanklin
       Wham, a past member of the Colorado Senate, departed this life on
       December 21, 2011, at the age of 85; and
       
          WHEREAS, Senator Wham was born to Fred and Nina Wham in
       Centralia, Illinois, on January 18, 1926, and graduated from Centralia
       Township High School in 1946; and
       
          WHEREAS, Senator Wham married his high school sweetheart,
       Dorothy "Dottie" Stonecipher, on January 26, 1947; and
       
          WHEREAS, After studying economics at the University of Illinois
       and graduating from the University of Illinois College of Law, Senator
       Wham and his wife moved to Colorado to live in the mountains; and
       
          WHEREAS, Upon settling in Montrose, Senator Wham worked for
       three years at the law firm of Kemp and Icke; and
       
          WHEREAS, In 1953, Senator Wham moved to Denver and joined the
       Colorado Attorney General's staff; and
       
          WHEREAS, Senator Wham served as Assistant United States District
       Attorney from 1955 to 1960 and Denver Deputy City Attorney from 1960
       to 1961; and
       
          WHEREAS, Senator Wham served as Denver City Attorney under
       Mayor Batterton from 1962 to 1963, during which time he labored to
       increase the professionalism of the Denver City Attorney's office and
       hired the office's first female lawyer; and
       
          WHEREAS, In 1964, Senator Wham left the Denver City Attorney's
       office to start a private practice, called Shoemaker and Wham, with state
       Senator Joe Shoemaker; and
       
          WHEREAS, In the 1970s, Senator Wham became active in Colorado
       politics and served one term representing Senate District 7 in the
       Colorado Senate from 1977 to 1980; and
       
          WHEREAS, As a member of the General Assembly, Senator Wham
       served for two years as chair of the Business Affairs and Labor
       Committee, for four years on the Local Government Committee,
       including two years as vice-chair, and for two years as vice-chair of the
       Judiciary Committee; and
       
          WHEREAS, Senator Wham was also a member of the Appropriations
       Committee and the Education Committee, as well as a number of joint
       and interim committees; and
       
          WHEREAS, Senator Wham played an instrumental role in protecting
       Colorado's right to water from the San Luis Valley; and
       
          WHEREAS, Senator Wham continued to practice law as a respected
       attorney into his eighties; enjoyed skiing, sailing, and hiking; loved the
       mountains; and was an active member of the Masonic Society, the
       Republican Party, and the Mayflower Congregational Church; and
       
          WHEREAS, Senator Wham will be remembered as a good friend and
       a good citizen; and
       
          WHEREAS, It is fitting that we, the members of the Senate of the
       Sixty-eighth General Assembly, pay tribute to the dedicated service of
       Senator Robert Shanklin Wham and express our deep regret and sorrow
       occasioned by his death; now, therefore,
       
          Be It Resolved by the Senate of the Sixty-eighth General Assembly of
       the State of Colorado:
       
          That, in the death of Robert "Bob" Shanklin Wham, the people of the
       state of Colorado have lost a dedicated public servant and outstanding
       citizen, and that we, the members of the Senate of the Sixty-eighth
       General Assembly, do hereby extend our deep and heartfelt sympathy to
       the members of his family and pay tribute to a man who served the state
       well and faithfully.
       
          Be It Further Resolved, That copies of this Memorial be sent to
       Senator Wham's wife, Dottie Wham of Englewood; his children, Nancy
       Mitchell of Franktown, Jeanne Ryan of Austin, Texas, and Robert Wham
       of Bothell, Washington; and his grandchildren.
       
       
       
       
       
       ____________________________  ____________________________
       Brandon C. Shaffer                    Cindi Markwell
       PRESIDENT OF                            SECRETARY OF
       THE SENATE                                THE SENATE