2026 SESSION
ENROLLED
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 145
Celebrating the life of Donald C. Pfanz.
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 23, 2026
Agreed to by the Senate, February 26, 2026
WHEREAS, Donald C. Pfanz of Spotsylvania County, an author, historian, and trailblazing leader in the preservation of Civil War battlefields, died on September 2, 2025; and
WHEREAS, Donald “Don” C. Pfanz was born in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, and gained an appreciation for historical preservation at a young age from his father, Harry, who was the former chief historian of the National Park Service and Gettysburg National Military Park; and
WHEREAS, Don Pfanz attended Thomas S. Wootton High School in Maryland before earning a bachelor's degree from The College of William & Mary, where he was a member of the soccer team; and
WHEREAS, after graduating from college, Don Pfanz began a 32-year career with the National Park Service, serving at Petersburg National Battlefield, Fort Sumter National Monument, and Fredericksburg and Spotsylvania County National Military Park; and
WHEREAS, while working at Petersburg National Battlefield in 1987, Don Pfanz became concerned about development around Civil War battlefields and called for the creation of an organization to preserve battlefield land through direct purchase; and