General Assembly Honors Late Dumfries Mayor

By Amir Vera
Capital News Service

Richmond, Va. – Fred Elvin Yohey Jr. was a dedicated public servant to the town of Dumfries. He was on the town council from 1996 until 2004 and then served as mayor from 2006 until his death on Nov. 6.

For his public service, the General Assembly recently passed a resolution to honor Yohey’s memory.

“I had immense respect for him; he was just a very effective mayor,” said Delegate Richard Anderson of Woodbridge.

“He just spent so much time as a public servant working with the General Accounting Office, and then later he got involved in all kinds of causes locally that benefited the town of Dumfries. As mayor, he didn’t have to do this, but he was a full-time public servant. He really threw his all into the job.”

A resident of Dumfries since 1974, Yohey had immense passion for public service, according to House Joint Resolution 233, which was adopted by the House on Jan. 27 and the Senate on Feb. 2.

Yohey chaired the Dumfries Board of Zoning Appeals and the Prince William-Manassas Regional Jail Board and was executive vice president of the Potomac Senior High School Athletic Boosters Club before being elected to the Dumfries Town Council.

“Fred Yohey worked diligently to enhance the quality of life for all residents and worked alongside town council members and employees to maintain the efficient and effective operation of local government,” the resolution said.

It said Yohey “took great pride in welcoming residents, businesses, and visitors alike to Dumfries” and that he “maintained an open door policy that allowed town residents to play an active role in their local government.”

Yohey also had a 35-year career as a federal program management analyst with the U.S. General Accounting Office (now the Government Accountability Office). He served 17 of those years as the agency’s assistant director.

“It’s a pretty big organization, and he rose to the position of assistant director of the GAO. That’s a very senior-level position, very high level of responsibility,” Anderson said.

“I really think the fact that he did that and then turned to local public service is just a huge way in which he distinguished his life. That’s how he’ll be remembered, as a public servant first.”

Being a public servant meant being a strong supporter of youth development.

“I think that people in Dumfries are bound to miss him greatly. He was definitely an advocate for youth, and he played a role in the reopening of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Washington,” said Sen. Linda Puller (D-Mount Vernon).

With the help of Yohey, the General Heiser Branch of the Boys and Girls Clubs reopened last August in Dumfries, a community of about 5,100 people in Prince William County.

The memorial resolution was presented to Yohey’s family “as an expression of the General Assembly’s respect for his memory.”

It called Yohey “an outstanding public servant who spent countless hours serving his fellow residents” in Dumfries.

“In reality, being mayor of a town like Dumfries is a part-time job,” Anderson said.

“But he believed so strongly in his community that he went at it as if it was a full-time job. He did it right up until the point where he had to go into intensive care. He was definitely a model for anyone who aspires to public service.”

Full Text of House Joint Resolution 233

WHEREAS, Fred Elvin Yohey, Jr., an outstanding public servant who spent countless hours serving his fellow residents as mayor of the Town of Dumfries, died on November 6, 2011; and

WHEREAS, a native of Pennsylvania, Fred Yohey graduated from Berwick Area Senior High School, earned a bachelor’s degree from Bloomsburg State College, and did graduate work at The George Washington University; and

WHEREAS, a longtime federal employee, Fred Yohey enjoyed a 35-year career as a federal program management analyst with the United States General Accounting Office, including 17 years as an assistant director; and

WHEREAS, Fred Yohey brought a wealth of community service experience to the Town of Dumfries, having previously served as chair of the Town of Dumfries Board of Zoning Appeals, member and chair of the Prince William-Manassas Regional Jail Board, and executive vice president of the Potomac Senior High School Athletic Boosters Club; and

WHEREAS, a resident of Dumfries since 1974, Fred Yohey desired to be of service to his community; he was a member of the town council from 1996 to 2004 and was elected mayor in 2006, a position he held at the time of his passing; and

WHEREAS, Fred Yohey worked diligently to enhance the quality of life for all residents and worked alongside town council members and employees to maintain the efficient and effective operation of local government; and

WHEREAS, Fred Yohey was a strong advocate for local youth and played an instrumental role in the reopening of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington, General Heiser Branch; and

WHEREAS, Fred Yohey took great pride in welcoming residents, businesses, and visitors alike to Dumfries and actively encouraged projects to beautify the town; and

WHEREAS, committed to meeting the needs of local residents, Fred Yohey maintained an open door policy that allowed town residents to play an active role in their local government by sharing their thoughts and concerns; and

WHEREAS, as a member of the board of directors for Historic Dumfries Virginia, Inc., and as an ex officio member of the Dumfries Business Association, Fred Yohey devoted countless hours to promoting the town’s heritage and encouraging local businesses in their endeavors; and

WHEREAS, an enthusiastic and devoted public servant, Fred Yohey will be fondly remembered and greatly missed by his family members, friends, and the residents of the Town of Dumfries whom he served with great devotion; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the House of Delegates, the Senate concurring, That the General Assembly hereby note with great sadness the loss of an admired public servant, Fred Elvin Yohey, Jr.; 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 Fred Elvin Yohey, Jr., as an expression of the General Assembly’s respect for his memory.

The Resolution’s Sponsors

Delegate L. Scott Lingamfelter of Woodbridge was the chief patron. Other patrons included:

• Delegates Richard Anderson of Woodbridge, Mark Dudenhefer of Stafford, Timothy Hugo of Centreville, Robert Marshall and Jackson Miller of Manassas, and David Ramadan of South Riding

• Sens. George Barker of Alexandria, Charles Colgan of Manassas and Linda Puller of Mount Vernon