J 236: Mourning the death of Arthur O. Eve Jr., distinguished citizen and devoted member of his community

 Senate Resolution No. 236 BY: Senator RYAN S MOURNING the death of Arthur O. Eve Jr., distinguished citizen and devoted member of his community WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to pay tribute to citizens of the State of New York whose lifework and civic endeavors served to enhance the quality of life in their communities and this great Empire State; and WHEREAS, Arthur O. Eve Jr. of Buffalo, New York, died on August 16, 2024, at the age of 67; and WHEREAS, Arthur O. Eve Jr., affectionately known as "Champ," distinguished himself in his profession and by his sincere dedication and substantial contribution to the welfare of his community; and WHEREAS, The son of former Deputy Speaker of the New York State Assembly Arthur O. Eve Sr. and educator and leader Lee Constance B. Eve, Arthur O. Eve Jr. was born in Buffalo, New York on April 9, 1957; his parents instilled in him at a young age the importance of a strong work ethic, a commitment to faith, and the value of serving others; and WHEREAS, Arthur O. Eve Jr. attended The Park School, then graduated from Canisius High School before attending the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) where he excelled in football and played for the UTEP Miners team; he later returned to Buffalo where he continued his education at the University of Buffalo where he served as the President of the Black Student Union and earned a degree in sociology; and WHEREAS, Devout in his faith, Arthur O. Eve Jr. grew up as an active member of St. Philip's Episcopal Church where he served as an acolyte and was active in the church's youth group; in adulthood, he was an active member of Elim Christian Fellowship; and WHEREAS, Early in his career, Arthur O. Eve Jr. worked at East Ferry Juvenile Detention Center where he worked diligently to ensure that incarcerated juveniles were sufficiently prepared and given the tools and knowledge needed to ensure they could lead productive lives beyond the detention center; he also taught classes at the Educational Opportunity Center which now bears his father's name, and at Job Corps where he inspired young people and served as a father figure to many of his mentees; and WHEREAS, Arthur O. Eve Jr. later went on to work in a critical compliance and strategic role at the Buffalo Municipal Housing Authority (BMHA); alongside Executive Director Sharon West, he developed nationally recognized initiatives that moved BMHA from "standard performing" to "high performer" in ratings from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development; and WHEREAS, In his capacity working for BMHA, Arthur O. Eve Jr. implemented one of the most aggressive policies in the nation to comply with Section 3 of the federal Housing and Development Act of 1968, which requires contractors receiving federal taxpayer dollars to develop affordable housing to make best efforts to hire low-income neighborhood and public housing residents on construction projects; and WHEREAS, As a result of his unwavering commitment and innovative work, contractors hired forty percent of their workforce from Section 3 workers, who were public housing and neighborhood residents, far exceeding national requirements, creating countless new jobs and opportunities for members of local communities to live fulfilling lives; and WHEREAS, Arthur O. Eve Jr. served for many years as the Deputy Commissioner of the Erie County Board of Elections; he also served as Vice Chair of the Erie County Democratic Committee, and in 2023, received the Erie County Democratic Committee's Joseph F. Crangle Legacy Award for his leadership and service to Western New York and beyond; and WHEREAS, In the early 1980s, Arthur O. Eve Jr. founded and served as President of Unity Coalition, an organization focused on supporting candidates for office at the local, county, state, and federal level who demonstrated concern about issues affecting Buffalo's Black community; he was considered by many local and statewide candidates to be one of the best voter registration and participation strategists and tacticians in New York State; and WHEREAS, Of his many impactful achievements, Arthur O. Eve Jr. was greatly proud of being a two-time championship-winning head coach and mentor for the Calvary Baptist Church Basketball Program, as well as becoming assistant coach of the Hutch Tech Basketball Team where he was lauded for his mentorship, motivation, and dependability; and WHEREAS, In 2007, Arthur O. Eve Jr. joined the Buffalo State University Men's Basketball leadership and has proudly served as an assistant coach under Head Coach Fajri Ansari; today, 17 years after he began coaching at Buffalo State, young men across Western New York and the country reflect upon the profound impact he has had on their lives; and WHEREAS, Arthur O. Eve Jr.'s commitment to excellence, and his spirit of humanity, carried over into all fields of enterprise, including all charitable and civic endeavors; and WHEREAS, Arthur O. Eve Jr. is survived by his beloved wife, Kim Marie Eve; their nine children, Arthur III (Marcie), Shiana Denise, LaNeesha, Eric James (Natasha), Louis, Ashley, Melzetta, Bobby (Rosalie), and David Paul; his father, Arthur O. Eve Sr.; eight grandchildren, Caiden, Rylee, Cailee, Kendall, Ari, Lucian, Maliha, and Lux; three nieces and nephews, Michael, Madison, and Maxwell; his father, Arthur O. Eve Sr.; and siblings, Leecia Roberta, Eric Vincent, Malcolm Xavier, and Martin King Eve; aunts, Ruth B. Harrison and Rosa Bowles; dozens of cousins; goddaughters, Nakeeya, Taylor, and Shahirah; godson, Shamell; and many dear friends; and WHEREAS, Arthur O. Eve Jr. was predeceased by his cherished mother, Lee Constance B. Eve; and WHEREAS, Armed with a humanistic spirit and imbued with a sense of compassion, Arthur O. Eve Jr. leaves behind a legacy which will long endure the passage of time and will remain as a comforting memory to all he served and befriended; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to mourn the death of Arthur O. Eve Jr., distinguished citizen and devoted member of his community; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to the family of Arthur O. Eve Jr.