FILE NUMBER........

Whereas, The members of this legislative body were deeply saddened

by the untimely passing on August 15, 1998, of Sheila Renee Tarr-Smith,

an accomplished athlete and dedicated public servant; and

Whereas, Sheila Renee Tarr was born on June 14, 1964, in

Bakersfield, California, to proud parents, Gerald and Linda Tarr; and

Whereas, In 1984, Sheila was recruited by and subsequently attended

the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, on an athletic scholarship for

women’s track and field events; and

Whereas, In 1984, Sheila was named the conference champion of the

Pacific Coast Athletic Association for the heptathlon and was selected as an

alternate to the United States Olympic Team; and

Whereas, That same year, Sheila was the National Collegiate Athletic

Association’s champion in the heptathlon, a seven-event competition that

includes the 100-meter hurdles, long jump, high jump, shot put, 200-meter

dash, 800-meter run and javelin; and

Whereas, This collegiate championship was the first ever won by any

athlete from the State of Nevada; and

Whereas, In 1985, Sheila was selected athlete of the year by the Pacific

Coast Athletic Association for the second consecutive year and was runner-

up in the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s heptathlon; and

Whereas, Sheila Renee Tarr-Smith was employed by the Clark County

Fire Department in 1989 and was one of the first professional women

firefighters in the State of Nevada, dedicating herself to the service and

safety of the residents of Southern Nevada while helping to pave the way

for women to work in nontraditional fields of employment; and

Whereas, Sheila Renee Tarr-Smith was recognized for her outstanding

athletic abilities in 1997 when she was inducted into both the Athletic Hall

of Fame of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and the Southern Nevada

Athletic Hall of Fame; and

Whereas, In September 1997, Sheila was diagnosed with chronic

inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy; and

Whereas, The following year on May 8, 1998, Sheila married Steve

Smith of Las Vegas, but tragically, only 3 months later, succumbed to this

fatal disease at the young age of 34 years; and

Whereas, On April 3, 1999, the athletic track and field facilities of the

University of Nevada, Las Vegas, will be named the Myron Partridge Track

and Sheila Tarr-Smith Field in memory of the accomplishments of Sheila

Renee Tarr-Smith in track and field events; and

Whereas, The University of Nevada, Las Vegas, currently awards a

scholarship in Sheila’s name to upcoming athletes who have excelled in

track and field events; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate of the State of Nevada, the Assembly

Concurring, That the members of the 70th session of the Nevada

Legislature offer their sincere condolences to the family and friends of

Sheila Renee Tarr-Smith; and be it further

Resolved, That Sheila Renee Tarr-Smith will long be remembered for

her outstanding contributions as a person, her dedication to helping others

as a public servant and the tremendous accomplishments she attained on the

athletic field during her lifetime; and be it further

Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate prepare and transmit a copy

of this resolution to Sheila Renee Tarr-Smith’s loving parents, Gerald and

Linda Tarr, and husband, Steve Smith.

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