HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 45
(By Mr. Speaker, Mr. Thompson, and Delegates Guthrie, White,
Doyle, Anderson, Ashley, Barker, Beach, Blair, Boggs, Border,
Brown, Butcher, Campbell, Cann, Canterbury, Caputo, Carmichael,
Craig, Crosier, Eldridge, Ennis, Evans, Ferro, Fragale, Givens,
Hartman, Hatfield, Hunt, Hutchins, Iaquinta, Klempa, Kominar,
Mahan, Manchin, Marshall, Martin, Michael, Miley, Moore, Morgan,
Perdue, Pethtel, Phillips, M. Poling, Reynolds, Ross, Schadler,
Skaff, Spencer, Stephens, Swartzmiller, Tabb, Talbott, Varner,
Walters, Webster, Wells, Williams and Wooton)
Requesting the Division of Highways name the 36th Street Bridge,
Charleston, West Virginia, otherwise identified as bridge
20-60/20-0.14, number 2565, as the "Bob Basil Memorial
Bridge".
Whereas, Robert "Bob" Wayne Basil
was born on July 4, 1926, to
Goldie Brinkman and Martin Basil; and
Whereas, As a natural patriot, upon his graduation in 1944 from
Elkins High School, he joined the United States Navy and served two
years in the Pacific; and
Whereas, After earning a degree in business administration from
Davis & Elkins College in 1950, Bob Basil embarked on a thirty-five year career in public service, with positions in the West Virginia
state offices of the Budget, Auditor, and Legislative Auditor; and
Whereas, During legislative sessions, he served as Clerk of the
House Finance Committee; and
Whereas, Bob Basil served under eight chairs of the House
Finance Committee and seven speakers of the House of Delegates.
During his tenure in state government, he served under nine
Governors; and
Whereas, For twenty years after his retirement in 1988, Bob
Basil continued to volunteer his time to the House Finance
Committee during legislative sessions; and
Whereas, Former House Speaker Robert Kiss said the impact of
Bob Basil's knowledge was immeasurable. "Bob's knowledge of the
budget, indeed the donation of his time, was instrumental in
training several decades of house finance chairs, all of whom will
miss him dearly"; and
Whereas, Bob Basil was affectionately known to many at the
State Capitol as "Budget Analyst Extraordinaire"; and
Whereas, Bob Basil was recognized in 1996 by the House of
Delegates for his service and was named "Outstanding West
Virginian" by then-Governor Gaston Caperton; and
Whereas, A noted gardener and genuine friend, Bob Basil was
also known for his generous heart and spirited humor; and
Whereas, Bob Basil always found time to explain the budget process to new members of the Legislature and especially to new
members of the Finance Committee; and
Whereas, The State of West Virginia sustained a great loss with
the passing of Bob Basil on July 10, 2008, at Hubbard House,
Charleston, West Virginia, due to pancreatic cancer; and
Whereas, Bob Basil is survived by his wife of fifty-seven
years, Eileen Knapp Basil; daughter Mary Jane Sullivan and her
husband Jay of Boca Raton, Florida; grandchildren, Jamie Sullivan
and Kelly (Walter) Burton; and great-grandson Walter "Beau" Burton,
IV, all of Florida; and brother Jack Basil of Elkins; therefore, be
it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Legislature hereby requests the Division of Highways
to name the 36th Street Bridge, Charleston, West Virginia, otherwise
identified as bridge 20-60/20-0.14, number 2565, as the "Bob Basil
Memorial Bridge"; to honor Robert "Bob" Basil for his service to
the State of West Virginia; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Division of Highways is hereby
requested to have made and be placed signs identifying said bridge
as the "Bob Basil 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 to the family of Robert "Bob"
Wayne Basil.