HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 75

(By Delegate Burkhammer)

[February 15, 2022]

Requesting the Division of Highways name bridge number 21-1/25-0.01 (11671) (39°2’50” North latitude, 80°27’54” West longitude), which will serve as a replacement for the bridge locally known as the Fourth Street Arch, carrying Fourth Street over the West Fork River in Weston, Lewis County, West Virginia, the “Pastor Glenn F. Lough Memorial Bridge”.

Whereas, Glenn F. Lough was born June 20, 1970, in Lewis County, West Virginia, the son of Mr. Nelson Lough and Mrs. Joyce Moneypenny Lough; and

Whereas, Glenn F. Lough graduated from Lewis County High School, from West Virginia Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering, and from Liberty University with a Master of Arts in Religion; and

Whereas, Glenn F. Lough served his country as a veteran of the 1^st Brigade of the 119^th Engineering Battalion of the Army National Guard of Buckhannon; and

Whereas, Glenn F. Lough served as a youth pastor for 10 years from 1994 through 2004 at Broad Run Baptist Church in Jane Lew, West Virginia where he directed the junior and senior high youth group, led over 40 teenagers to Christ, and led bi-monthly youth rallies for the Broad Run Association.  Two youth he discipled later became pastors; and

Whereas, Glenn F. Lough led a contemporary Christian praise band named Persuaded for many years beginning in 2004 through which he would perform and preach at various churches and local venues in Central West Virginia; and

Whereas, Glenn F. Lough served as the Music Minister at Broad Run Baptist Church on February 6, 2005; and

Whereas, Glenn F. Lough served as the Association Youth Pastor from 2006 to 2007 for the Broad Run Association where he assembled and directed a ministry team to budget, plan and lead 3 youth camps, through which 30 children professed faith in Christ; and

Whereas, Glenn F. Lough served as the Senior Pastor from 2007 to 2008 at Valley Bend Baptist Church in Belington, West Virginia where he performed 11 baptisms in 9 months; and

Whereas, Glenn F. Lough served from 2008 to 2010 as an Associate Pastor of Worship and Church Planter at Real Life Church in Weston, West Virginia where he oversaw Worship and Discipleship and preached sermons regularly; and

Whereas, Glenn F. Lough planted Real Life Church with two other pastors and their families where numerous people were led to Christ and baptized and at one point was the fastest growing Southern Baptist Church plant in West Virginia; and

Whereas, Glenn F. Lough was ordained at Real Life Church on January 21, 2010; and

Whereas, Glenn F. Lough served the State of West Virginia as a highway engineer for the West Virginia Division of Highways for 25 years.  After leaving his job at the bridge department in Weston, West Virginia, where he had worked for 20 years designing, maintaining, repairing, and replacing bridges, he moved to another WVDOH engineering job in Charleston, West Virginia, and also became the Associate Worship Pastor at Good Shepherd Church in Scott Depot, West Virginia from 2012 to 2017; and

Whereas, On June 27, 2017, Glenn F. Lough tragically lost his life at the age of 47 on I-79 in the line of work in a vehicular accident and left behind his wife Debbie and two daughters, Lindsey and Courtney, along with many other family members and close friends who all miss him dearly; and

Whereas, Glenn F. Lough was a man of many talents including preaching, music, art, engineering, mechanics, and carpentry, just to mention a few, but his greatest gift was his ability to make friends with people almost immediately and build a relationship with them which often became a discipling relationship where he would lead them to Christ and help them grow.  He had an uncanny way of making people feel comfortable around him and finding ways to encourage others in every possible way.  He was a humble man who used all of his talents to help others in any way he could, always teaching and encouraging; and

Whereas, Just prior to his death, Glenn F. Lough made recommendations about where the new Fourth Street Arch replacement bridge in Weston should be located, which was very near the final location that was decided; and

Whereas, Glenn F. Lough grew up in the Haleville Union Mission Church located right next to this bridge location where he became known by elderly ladies of the church as “the little preacher boy”; and

Whereas, Glenn F. Lough served God and so many people in the city of Weston and elsewhere for many days of his life and it is fitting that an enduring memorial be established to Glenn F. Lough for his contributions to our state; therefore, be it

Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:

That the Division of Highways is hereby requested to name bridge number 21-1/25-0.01 (11671) (39°2’50” North latitude, 80°27’54” West longitude), which will serve as a replacement for the bridge locally known as the Fourth Street Arch, carrying Fourth Street over the West Fork River in Weston, Lewis County, West Virginia, the “Pastor Glenn F. Lough Memorial Bridge”; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the Division of Highways is hereby requested to have made and be placed signs identifying the bridge as the “Pastor Glenn F. Lough Memorial Bridge”; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the House forward a copy of this resolution to the Commissioner of the Division of Highways.