Loudoun Supervisors Honor J. Warren Geurin

Members of the Loudoun Board of Supervisors on Tuesday honored J. Warren Geurin, who died Saturday after battling cancer. Geurin served as the Sterling District representative on the Loudoun School Board for 12 years and, despite his health, attended the budget vote last month.

“Mr. Geurin was working right ‘til the end,” said Supervisor Eugene Delgaudio (R-Sterling), who added that Geurin’s death has left him at a loss. “Warren had an impact on me. He was a great team member for me. He’s done so much. He’s hung out at schools. He was everywhere. He’s still probably got some memos waiting for us to get to.”

County Chairman Scott K. York (I-At Large) summed his thoughts up in one sentence: “Warren you will be missed.”

Supervisor Stevens Miller (D-Dulles) said Geurin, a Republican, did not let party politics cloud his view of others, explaining that Geurin would introduce him to other people saying, ‘This is Stevens Miller. He’s a Democrat, but he’s a pretty good guy despite all of that.’”

Supervisor Sally R. Kurtz (D-Catoctin) said Geurin served his constituents well. “Warren was absolutely devoted to the school system and making sure Sterling Park got the resources that it needed,” she said.

Geurin’s contributions to the county “are immense and his impact is timeless,” said Supervisor Susan Klimek Buckley (D-Sugarland Run), while Potomac District Supervisor Andrea McGimsey called him a “true gentleman,” who was always there to help.

The family accepted visitors today from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. at Adams-Green Funeral Home, 721 Elden Street, in Herndon. A service will be held Saturday, May 14 at 10 a.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 750 Peachtree Street, in Herndon.

Loudoun County Public Schools issued the following release this week:

James Warren Geurin, 65, who was serving in his 12th year as the Loudoun County School Board's Sterling District representative, died Saturday, April 30th, after a brief battle with cancer.

In lieu of flowers the family requests that contributions be made to the Loudoun Education Foundation for the J. Warren Geurin Scholarship Fund.

Known to everyone as Warren, Mr. Geurin was first elected to the School Board in 1999 and was re-elected in 2003 and in 2007.

He served as the board's vice chairman during 2009 and as chairman of the School Board's Committee on Curriculum and Instruction from 2005 to 2009. Mr. Geurin returned as chairman of this committee in January 2011. Mr. Geurin also was a member of the Personnel Services Committee, the Legislative and Policy Committee and was a liaison to the Minority Student Achievement Advisory Committee.

“J. Warren Geurin served as the Sterling District Member of the School Board for almost 12 years,” said Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) Superintendent Edgar B. Hatrick III. “During those years he was a fierce representative of his district, but more important he was passionate in educating others to the needs of Sterling students. Whatever political or philosophical differences he encountered in his elected leadership role, his measure was always consideration for students, whether in his Sterling District or in any school in Loudoun County. He brought congressional, parliamentary and local leadership experience to his work as a School Board member, and he was instrumental in the successful completion of renovation projects at all of the schools in his district. During his watch he also saw the completion of Sterling Park's fifth elementary school, Forest Grove.

“The pride he had in Sterling Park's children, their public school staff, and their schools carried over to his work on all aspects of Loudoun County Public Schools,” Hatrick added. “His commitment will be missed by all those who knew him or benefited from his work.”

School Board Chairman John Stevens remembered that Mr. Geurin remained an active, involved board member until the final days of his life.

“Warren was devoted to the Sterling community and to his role asa School Board member. In his final months, weeks and days he continued his work, representing the citizens of Sterling in every way that he was able. He lobbied for budget items and policies from his hospital bed, and participated in a committee meeting via speakerphone. Too weak to attend the entire April 13th meeting and almost too weak to walk, he came for a brief time to vote on our budget and speak in praise of an assistant principal and a student. He called during our April 26th meeting and asked me to relay his thoughts to the board and staff on a policy that we were voting on, one he helped to develop and champion over the course of nearly a year.He asked Board members to come to see him at home this past week, to say goodbye and express his wishes for the board's future without him.”

Mr. Geurin advocated for school construction, renovations and additions in Sterling Park during his tenure on the board. Major projects undertaken since Mr. Geurin joined the board include:

• Construction of Forest Grove Elementary School, which opened in 2002. This was the first new school in Sterling Park in 25 years. More than 4,600 students attend the seven schools in the Sterling District including Park View High School, Sterling Middle School, Sterling Elementary, Guilford Elementary, Sully Elementary, Rolling Ridge Elementary and Forest Grove. The opening of Forest Grove in 2002 allowed LCPS to lower class sizes in the four elementary schools that served the Sterling District.
• The $11.2 million renovation of Park View High School in 2003. The renovations provided a focal point for entry to the building, a large, new library and new administrative and guidance office space.
• Renovations to Sterling Middle School in 2001, 2007 and 2009, which totaled $18.1 million for all projects.
• The addition of seven classrooms, a computer lab and music and art rooms to Rolling Ridge Elementary. Coupled with these additions was a complete interior renovation of floors, walls, casework, heating and cooling units

Mr. Geurin's Loudoun County civic activities include: former chairman, Citizen's Tax Equity Committee (appointed by Loudoun Board of Supervisors member Scott York in 1997); former secretary and director, Sterling Youth Soccer Association Board of Directors; former president of Sterling Commuter Bus, a non-profit transportation system originally created by the Sterling Area Jaycees; former president, St. Joseph's Catholic Church Pastoral Advisory Council; and member, Loudoun Republican Committee.

Mr. Geurin came to the Washington, D.C., area as an employee of U.S. Congressman Gene Taylor (R) of Missouri. Mr. Geurin was Minority (Republican) Investigator on the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Post Office and Civil Service (1975-1980), serving Congressman Taylor and Congressman Trent Lott (R-Miss.).

Geurin served as a Minority (Republican) counsel to the U.S. House Committee on Rules (1980 to 1991) working for Congressmen Gene Taylor of Missouri (1980-1988), Trent Lott of Mississippi and Del Latta of Ohio. When Congressman Taylor retired from Congress in 1988, Geurin served as Rules Committee staffer to Congressman Chip Pashayan (R) of Fresno, California, who lost his re-election bid in 1990. Geurin concluded his Congressional service as legislative counsel to Congressman Chris Smith (R-N.J.).

In 1992, Geurin was appointed by President George Herbert Walker Bush as director of congressional affairs to U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Andrew Card. After losing two jobs to politics, Geurin entered the private sector in 1992.

Mr. Geurin was married to Susie Geurin, a fourth grade teacher at Forest Grove Elementary. Their children, Jennifer (age 32) and Jeff (age 30) attended Sully, Sterling Middle, and graduated from Park View High School. The Geurin family has lived in Sterling Park since 1976. Also surviving is a daughter, Kirstie Wilson, Jennifer's husband, Chris Ferrell, Jeffrey's wife, Lisa Geurin, one brother, Roger Geurin, and grandchildren, Madison Wilson, Jackson Warren Geurin, twins, Emma and Trey Ferrell and a soon-to-be grandson.