SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 58
(By Senator Facemyer, Unger and Hall)
Requesting the Division of Highways name bridge number 40-869-0.27
(4380) on Route 869 crossing the Kanawha River and U. S. Route
35 near Eleanor, Putnam County, the "Memorial Bridge" in
recognition of Johnathon David Higginbotham and others who
have lost their lives on U. S. Route 35 and State Route 62.
Whereas, Johnathon David Higginbotham was born on October 6,
1986; and
Whereas, Johnathon grew up in the Eleanor and Midway areas of
Putnam County, but spent a large part of his childhood in Pliny,
West Virginia with his grandparents, Grandpa and Grandma Wears; and
Whereas, Johnathon attended George Washington Elementary
School, George Washington Middle School and Buffalo High School;
and
Whereas, At age 5, Johnathon started playing basketball; and
Whereas, He spent most of his spare time practicing basketball
at the Eleanor Park or in the Buffalo High School gymnasium; and
Whereas, Johnathon loved his family, friends, NASCAR, WVU
football, WVU basketball, North Carolina Tar Heels and Buffalo High
School; and
Whereas, Johnathon traveled Route 35 a lot while visiting his
grandparents or staying at his Dad's, and the bridge saved him a lot of time when traveling from Pliny to school; and
Whereas, His friends would call him "Thun" and yell to
Johnathon during basketball games "Git-r-done, Thun"; and
Whereas, In the Spring of 2004, Johnathon and his family were
so excited to learn that he would be the starting guard for the
fall season; and
Whereas, On June 3, 2004, Johnathon headed across the bridge
to his dad's, and just a few miles from the bridge, Johnathon, at
age 17, was killed by a tractor-trailer; and
Whereas, It is fitting that this bridge be named "The Memorial
Bridge" for Johnathon and others who have lost their lives on U.S.
Route 35 and State Route 62 to honor and memorialize their passing,
as well as their families and friends that continue their memory as
they cross the bridge; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Division of Highways is hereby requested to name
bridge number 40-869-0.27 (4380) on Route 869 crossing the Kanawha
River and U. S. Route 35 near Eleanor, Putnam County, the "Memorial
Bridge" in recognition of Johnathon David Higginbotham and others
who have lost their lives on U. S. Route 35 and State Route; and,
be it
Further Resolved, That the Division of Highways is requested
to have made and be placed signs identifying the bridge as the
"Memorial Bridge"; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the Senate is hereby
directed to forward a copy of this resolution to the Secretary of
the Department of Transportation and Johnathon David Higginbotham's
stepfather and mother, Jim and Vallery Withrow.