HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 120

(By Delegates Marcum, Thompson, Hicks and Rodighiero)

[Introduced April 3, 2017]

Requesting that the Division of Highways to name Den Branch Road, in Mingo County, near Williamson, beginning at a point, latitude 37.789884, longitude -82.348582 at the intersection of U.S. Route 52 and ending at a point, latitude 37.792063, longitude -82.340803, at Tug Valley High School, the “Eugene Jack Brewer Memorial Road.”

Whereas, Eugene Jack Brewer was born on March 8, 1932, in Pilgrim, Kentucky to Solady and James Brewer, one of thirteen children; and

Whereas, Jack left school early to find work in order to support his family, hauling coal and laying gas lines in Martin County, Kentucky, working in a factory in Michigan, and ultimately moving to Naugatuck, West Virginia to help his father who was ill with cancer; and

Whereas, In 1956, Jack married the love of his life, Anise, who remained by his side in Naugatuck, West Virginia until the day he passed; and

Whereas, In Naugatuck, Jack worked numerous jobs to care for his family, pulling steel rails out of mines, and working for lumber, furniture and coal companies until a heart attack forced him to retire in 1984; and

Whereas, Jack’s forced retirement left him without a sense of purpose in his life until in 1987, Jack found his calling with the creation of Tug Valley High School; and

Whereas, Jack helped the contractors construct the high school, becoming the go-to person when contractors had questions about the property and the location of gas lines; and

Whereas, Once Tug Valley High School was constructed; Jack became the “night watchman” and “grounds keeper” for the football field, cleaning the parking lot after games and monitoring the area for suspicious activity; and

Whereas, Thereafter, Jack became the Tug Valley Panthers biggest fan, becoming a staple at Panthers football games, oftentimes bringing friends and family with him, including his great grandson whom he would wheel to games in a wagon; and

Whereas, Tug Valley High School, in recognition of Jack’s many contributions to the school, named him a “Partner in Education” in 1988; therefore, be it

Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:

That the Legislature hereby requests the Division of Highways to name Den Branch Road, in Mingo County, near Williamson, beginning at a point, latitude 37.789884, longitude -82.348582 at the intersection of U.S. Route 52 and ending at a point, latitude 37.792063, longitude -82.340803, at Tug Valley High School, the “Eugene Jack Brewer Memorial Road”; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the Commissioner of the Division of Highways is hereby requested to have made and be placed signs at both ends identifying the road as the “Eugene Jack Brewer Memorial Road”; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates forward a certified copy of this resolution to the Secretary of Transportation and the Commissioner of Highways.