HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 20
(By Delegates Pino, Laird and Louisos)
Requesting the Commissioner of the West Virginia Division of
Highways to name that certain portion of West Virginia State
Route 612 between U.S. Route 19 and the West Virginia Turnpike
at the Mossy exit, the "Okey L. Patteson Road."
Whereas,
Okey L. Patteson was born at Dingess, a coal town in
Mingo County, on September 14, 1898; and
Whereas,
The Patteson family moved to Mount Hope, Fayette
County, in 1899, where Okey Patteson's father went into the
mercantile and hardware businesses; and
Whereas,
Okey L. Patteson followed in the footsteps of his
father and established his own business, an automobile dealership
in Mount Hope; and
Whereas,
He was "disabled" from a hunting accident in 1932,
which cost him both legs, but overcoming his disability he went on
to give great service in helping and encouraging others who had
suffered the loss of limbs; and
Whereas, He entered into politics in Fayette County, where he
served on the Mount Hope city council for 12 years and served as
Sheriff of the County for four years; and
Whereas, In 1944, Okey L. Patteson, was appointed Executive
Assistant to Governor Clarence Meadows and during that service he
was highly instrumental in establishing road building programs,
including the West Virginia Turnpike; and
Whereas, Okey L. Patteson was elected Governor of the State of
West Virginia in 1948, in which office he served from January,
1949, to January, 1953; and
Whereas, As Governor, he distinguished himself by advancing
many programs and initiatives, among which was his bold concept
that West Virginia could have a first class medical school and
from his sound wisdom has arisen a major medical treatment and
research center from which thousands of medical care professionals
have been produced for service in the State and the Nation,
thousands of West Virginians treated by highly competent physicians
using the most modern equipment and practicing with the most
current procedures, and a place where important medical research is
being conducted for the future benefit of the State, the Nation and
the World; another was his vision and hard work that produced for
the State the West Virginia Turnpike, a modern highway through some
of the most mountainous of terrain in the country; and another was
his defusing of the Widen mine war in Clay County, which is a
testament to his persuasiveness and native intuitiveness in dealing
with knotty issues; and
Whereas, He was much honored for his good works, among which honors were his invitation and address to the President's Committee
on Employment of the Physically Handicapped in Washington, D.C. in
August of 1950, his national citation for outstanding service to
the physically handicapped which he received in 1951, and his
naming by the Charleston Gazette as "West Virginian of the Year"
for the year 1951; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Commissioner of the West Virginia Division of
Highways is hereby requested to designate that certain portion of
West Virginia State Route 612 between U.S. Route 19 and the West
Virginia Turnpike at the Mossy exit the "Okey L. Patteson Road";
and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Commissioner is requested to have
made and be placed, at either end of that portion of State Route
612, signs identifying the roadway as the "Okey L. Patteson Road";
and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates is
hereby directed to forward a copy of this resolution to the
Commissioner of the Division of Highways and the Governor of West
Virginia.