HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 35

(By Delegate P. Martin and C. Martin)

[Introduced January 27, 2020]

Requesting the Division of Highways to name bridge number 21-1-4.66 (21A212), locally known as Horse Run W-Beam Bridge, carrying County Route 1 over Freemans Creek in Lewis County, the “U.S. Navy BT 2nd Wade E. Burnside Memorial Bridge”.

Whereas, Wade E. Burnside was born August 15, 1929, in Lewis County, West Virginia, and except for military service, lived his entire life in Lewis County on the family farm, still owned by family, of his great grandfather, John Lew Burnside. While living on the farm, Wade E. Burnside raised cattle, sheep, hogs and other farm animals, and tended crops including buckwheat and sugar cane; and

Whereas, Wade E. Burnside told friends many stories about working in the corn fields and making molasses at a neighbor’s home; and

Whereas, Wade E. Burnside showed his love for farming and his animals, especially his prize bull, Ferdinand; and

Whereas, Wade enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1949 and served as a boiler technician during the Korean Conflict on the USS Robert A Owens, a destroyer. He was discharged from the Navy in 1953; and

Whereas, Wade E. Burnside used his boiler technician skills as a civilian working on boilers at Reed Station in Lewis County where he worked as a station engineer; and

Whereas, Wade was instrumental in establishing the Jackson’s Mill Volunteer Fire Department in 1971. Although he did not serve as a firefighter, he recognized the importance of a community department and worked diligently to get one established in his hometown. Two of his grandsons became members of the department; and

Whereas, Wade E. Burnside recognized the importance of being able to compete as an athlete and for several years was a participant in the torch run for the Special Olympics in West Virginia, donating his time and resources to transport the runners carrying the torch. Wade E. Burnside served well his country and his local community; therefore, be it

Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:

That the Division of Highways is hereby requested to name bridge number 21-1-4.66 (21A212), locally known as Horse Run W-Beam Bridge, carrying County Route 1 over Freemans Creek in Lewis County, the “U.S. Navy BT 2nd Wade E. Burnside Memorial Bridge”; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the Commissioner of the Division of Highways is hereby requested to erect signs at both ends of the bridge containing bold and prominent letters proclaiming the bridge as the “U.S. Navy BT 2nd Wade E. Burnside Memorial Bridge”; and, be it

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