2026 SESSION
ENROLLED
HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 282
Celebrating the life of James Roane Dudley, M.D.
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, March 9, 2026
WHEREAS, James Roane Dudley, M.D., a beloved husband, father, and grandfather and respected emergency medicine physician, who served communities across the Middle and Upper Peninsulas of the Commonwealth for many years, died on January 30, 2026; and
WHEREAS, born in London, England, while his father was stationed with the United States Navy, James Dudley went on to attend the University of Virginia (UVA), where he set his sights on a career in medicine; and
WHEREAS, after working as an orderly with the UVA hospital system, James Dudley earned his medical degree and worked for some time in family medicine before ultimately specializing in emergency medicine; and
WHEREAS, James Dudley staffed the emergency room at what is today the VCU Health Tappahannock Hospital for nearly 40 years and was a key member of the leadership team of the Riverside Medical Group, one of the largest and most diverse group practices in the Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, beyond his work as an emergency physician, James Dudley served as an operational medical director guiding emergency medical services agencies on the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula, as a volunteer physician at free clinics and local correctional facilities, and as a medical examiner for funeral homes in the region; and
WHEREAS, James Dudley advanced the practice of emergency medicine in the Commonwealth as a policy advisor for state legislative initiatives and as a member of supervisory boards for medical associations; and