HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 11

(By Delegate Hartman, N. Brown, Boggs, C. Thompson, Sponaugle and Summers)

[Introduced January 14, 2020]

Requesting the Division of Highways name bridge number 42-39-0.67 (42A092), locally known as Mill Creek Box Beam Bridge, carrying County Route 39 over the Tygart Valley River in Randolph County, the “U. S. Army SGT Robert R. “Bob” Defibaugh Memorial Bridge”.

Whereas, Sergeant Defibaugh was born on August 31, 1936, in Elkins, West Virginia. He was a lifelong resident of Randolph County and attended Tygarts Valley High School; and

Whereas, Sergeant Defibaugh served in the 82^nd and 101^st Airborne Division in the United States Army; and

Whereas, Upon returning home from military service, Sergeant Defibaugh began farming, and on February 18, 1956, he married Shirley Scott. On April 29, 1968, they started a small restaurant business called the Mill Creek Drive Inn.  Soon thereafter they opened two more small businesses in Mill Creek called Bob’s Mini Mart and Valley View Motel. These businesses have been passed down and have been family owned and operated for over 50 years; and

Whereas, Sergeant Defibaugh also served his community as a Mill Creek Town Councilman for several terms. He loved dirt track racing and raced on several dirt tracks around the state.  Sergeant and Mrs. Defibaugh opened a dirt track in 1986 in Mill Creek called the Upper Valley Raceway. He was inducted into the Elkins Raceway Wall of Legends in 2018; and

Whereas, Sergeant and Mrs. Defibaugh had 6 children, 13 grandchildren, and 23 great-grandchildren. He retired from the Randolph County school system as a bus driver, and routinely drove his bus across this very bridge to pick up students.  Sergeant Defibaugh’s life and legacy reflects hard work, love, and service to not only his family but his community and country. He passed away on August 21, 2000; and

Whereas, For these reasons it is fitting and proper that the bridge be named in honor of Sergeant Defibaugh; therefore, be it

Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:

That the Division of Highways is hereby requested to name bridge number 42-39-0.67 (42A092), locally known as Mill Creek Box Beam Bridge, carrying County Route 39 over the Tygart Valley River in Randolph County, the “U. S. Army SGT Robert R. “Bob” Defibaugh Memorial Bridge”; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the Commissioner of the Division of Highways is requested to erect signs at both ends of the bridge containing bold and prominent letters proclaiming the bridge as the “U. S. Army SGT Robert R. “Bob” Defibaugh 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.