2026 SESSION
ENROLLED
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 82
Celebrating the life of Rose Gartrell Vann.
Agreed to by the Senate, February 5, 2026
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, February 9, 2026
WHEREAS, Rose Gartrell Vann, an active community leader in Hampton and an educator who inspired and uplifted countless youths over the course of her career, died on November 26, 2025; and
WHEREAS, Rose Vann grew up in Savannah, Georgia, and excelled in academics from a young age; she continued her education at what is now Savannah State University, where she was selected as Ms. Savannah State in 1951; and
WHEREAS, Rose Vann met her future husband, Claude, while he was stationed at a nearby United States air force base; after their marriage, she supported his distinguished military career and raised their growing family as they traveled to postings in England, Morocco, Southeast Asia, and across the United States; and
WHEREAS, beginning in 1955, Rose and Claude Vann cultivated a shared vision for real estate investment, and the couple developed a portfolio of rental homes and other properties in multiple states; and
WHEREAS, for many years, Rose Vann also worked as a teacher, serving students at the elementary school, junior high school, or high school levels in Georgia, Maine, California, Massachusetts, and Virginia; and