HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 45

(By Delegates Lovejoy, Rohrbach, Sobonya, C. Romine, Hornbuckle, C. Miller, Hicks, Thompson, Byrd and Cowles)

[Introduced February 5, 2018; Referred to the Committee on Roads and Transportation then Rules ]

Requesting the Division of Highways to name bridge number 06-64-20.19 (38.42106) (-82.2522), carrying Interstate 64 over Blue Sulphur Road in Cabell County, West Virginia, the “U. S. Air Force Reserves 2^nd Lieutenant Richard E. Tyson Memorial Bridge”.

Whereas, Richard E. Tyson was born on October 1, 1926, in Parkersburg, Wood County, West Virginia, to John L. and Edith Dickson Tyson Helmick; and

Whereas, Richard E. Tyson served his country in World War II in the U. S. Army Air Corps and as Second Lieutenant in the U. S. Air Force Reserves from 1949 to 1953; and

Whereas, Richard E. Tyson married Norma Rose Delligatti on October 18, 1952, in Fairmont, West Virginia, with whom he raised a son, David Richard Tyson, of Huntington, West Virginia and daughter, Patricia Tyson Gebhard, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and

Whereas, Richard E. Tyson earned a bachelor’s degree from Indiana University in 1949 and Juris Doctorate from West Virginia University in 1952; and

Whereas, Richard E. Tyson held a long tenure of public service, including service as Assistant City Attorney for Huntington from 1953 to 1954, Municipal Court Judge in Huntington from 1957 to 1963, Special Master, United States District Court for the Southern District of West Virginia in 1968, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney of Cabell County from 1971 to 1972 and from 1974 to 1982, Divorce Commissioner, Circuit Court of Cabell County in 1984, Chairman of the Board of Review for the West Virginia Department of Employment Security and Fiduciary Commissioner for Cabell County from 1982 to 2012; and  

Whereas, Throughout more than half a century of public service, Richard E. Tyson also served the legal needs of his community in West Virginia’s state and federal courts through his private law practice, culminating in the formation of the law firm of Tyson and Tyson in 1981 with his son, David Richard Tyson; and

Whereas, Richard E. Tyson further served his community as Secretary and member of the St. Mary’s Hospital School of Nursing’s Lay Advisory Board, Trustee of the Hospital Service, Inc., Director of the Boys Club of Huntington, member of the Marshall University Foundation, Inc., Department Judge Advocate of the American Legion, Member of the Executive Committee of the WVU Alumni Association and President of its Huntington Chapter, and as a member of the American Society of Hospital Attorneys, Catholic Hospital Attorney Association, American Society of Law and Medicine and President of the Cabell County Bar Association; and

Whereas, After an impactful life of service to his nation, state, and community, Richard E. Tyson passed away on February 28, 2015, in Huntington, West Virginia, leaving behind his beloved bride of 62 years, Norma, his children David and Patricia, and three very special granddaughters and their spouses, Annie and Jeff Massey, Laura and Luke Harvilla, and Julie and Kelly Robinson; and

Whereas, Naming bridge number 06-64-20.19 (38.42106) (-82.2522), carrying Interstate 64 over Blue Sulphur Road in Cabell County, West Virginia, the “U. S. Air Force Reserves 2^nd Lieutenant Richard E. Tyson Memorial Bridge” is an appropriate recognition of Richard E. Tyson’s lifelong contributions to his country, state, community and Cabell County; therefore, be it

Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:

That the Division of Highways is hereby requested to name bridge number 06-64-20.19, carrying Interstate 64 over Blue Sulphur Road in Cabell County, West Virginia, the “U. S. Air Force Reserves 2^nd Lieutenant Richard E. Tyson Memorial Bridge”; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the Division of Highways is requested to have made and be placed signs at both ends identifying the bridge as the “U. S. Air Force Reserves 2^nd Lieutenant Richard E. Tyson 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.