HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 19

By Delegates Waxman, Trecost, Hamrick and Miley

January 21, 2016

Requesting the Division of Highways to name the bridge on U. S. Route 19 at mile marker 15.55 over the West Fork River in Clarksburg, Harrison County, the "H. Laban White Memorial Bridge."

Whereas, H. Laban White, father, husband, lawyer, veteran, former Speaker of the West Virginia House of Delegates, former chairman of the Judiciary Committee for the West Virginia House of Delegates and distinguished West Virginian, was born on May 1, 1916, in Spencer, West Virginia, the son of H. Laban White, Sr. and Nan Leigh (Cox) White.  He passed away on January 31, 2015, at his home in Clarksburg.  He married the love of his life, Gwendolyn Beall on December 23, 1943, and they were the parents of three daughters, Patricia Linda (White) Stumpo (deceased), Diane (White) Slaughter and son-in-law, Gary Slaughter, and Carol White; grandchildren, Melissa and David McCullough, Joshua Laban and Jaime Gutshall, Liza Gabrielle and Nicholas Vick, Traci Michelle and Joe Terango, Jennifer Careen and Scott Duarte, Tina Nicole Stumpo (deceased); thirteen great-grandchildren, Lauren Walatka, Dillon McCullough, Emma McCullough, Hannah Gutshall, Joshua Gutshall, Kobe Vick, Noah Vick, Anthony Terango, Dante Terango, Brock Duarte, Brennan Duarte, Sophia Duarte and Amelia Duarte; and

Whereas, H. Laban White entered the United States Army in 1942 as a private and retired from the U.S. Army Reserve as Lieutenant Colonel after 35 years in active and reserve service. He was State Commander and National Director of AMVETS and a very prominent and active member of his community for 70 years. He practiced law from 1942 to 2004, served as President of the Harrison County Bar Association and was the City Attorney of Clarksburg and a member of the Clarksburg Sanitary Board.  His many honors received include: Glenville State College's the Alumnus of the Year and the Distinguished Service Award; the West Virginia Vocational Rehabilitation Division's Distinguished Service Award; and the Boy Scouts of America's Distinguished Silver Beaver.  He was also a member of the Clarksburg Lions, Elks and Moose Clubs and a past president of Clarksburg Lions; a member of the Harrison County, the West Virginia and the American Bar Associations, the Allohak Council of the Boy Scouts of America, a past president of the Clarksburg-Harrison Cultural Foundation, the Board of Trustees of Alderson-Broaddus College, the American Legion, the Reserve Officers Association and National Conference of State Legislative Leaders  where he served as National Vice President; and

Whereas, H. Laban White received the Distinguished Legislative Commendation for introducing and procuring the passage of many legislative bills to improve the safety, welfare and human rights of the people of West Virginia, and he holds the highest award of the Lions International, a Fellow of the Melvin Jones Foundation. Mr. White was honored by the Harrison County Commission for significant contributions made to prove that a life well lived can make a great difference by proclaiming July 8, 2004, as H. Laban White Day.  He was also honored on June 1, 1996, by the Clarksburg Lions Club “Roast” to commend him for his leadership and participation in the formation of the Scholarship Foundation; and

           Whereas, H. Laban White  also provided counsel and guidance to the Energy Corporation of America since 1973, first as legal adviser and subsequently as a member of the Board of Directors and finally as a Director Emeritus. Mr. White was also a member of the Clarksburg Baptist Church, where he served in many capacities, including being a teacher for 46 years, a member of the Choir and of the board and as the church attorney for many years; and

Whereas, Naming the bridge on U. S. Route 19 at mile marker 15.55 over the West Fork River in Clarksburg, Harrison County, the "H. Laban White Memorial Bridge” is an appropriate recognition of the contributions to his country, state, community and Harrison County; therefore, be it

Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:

That the Division of Highways is hereby requested to name the bridge on U. S. Route 19 at mile marker 15.55 over the West Fork River in Clarksburg, Harrison County, the "H. Laban White Memorial Bridge"; and, be it

           Further Resolved, That the Division of Highways is requested to have made and be placed

signs identifying the bridge as the "H. Laban White Memorial Bridge"; and, be it

          Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates forward a certified copy of this

resolution to the Secretary of the Department of Transportation and all surviving members of his

family.