HOUSE RESOLUTION 12

(By Delegates Sponaugle
on Behalf of All Members of the House)

 [Introduced March 2, 2018]

Memorializing the life of the Honorable Clyde McNeill See, Jr., former Speaker of the House of Delegates, dedicated community leader, public servant and family man.

            Whereas, Clyde McNeill See, Jr. was born on October 20, 1941, in South Fork in Hardy County, West Virginia; and

            Whereas, Clyde was the son of the late Clyde McNeill See, Sr., and Minnie Alice Crites See.  Clyde’s father spent his entire life working as a farm hand and his mother worked as a school teacher until her untimely death when Clyde was a child, leaving his dad to raise Clyde and his sister Snow; and

Whereas, Clyde dropped out of Moorefield High School when he was 16 years old to join the U.S. Army.  While stationed in Hawaii, Clyde completed the Army Ranger School on a dare by his executive officer.  In addition, Clyde completed his GED while serving on active duty and he left the Army as a Corporal E-4; and

            Whereas, Upon his return to West Virginia, Clyde used the G.I. Bill and attended his first year of college at Concord College, or as he referred to it U.C.L.A. - The University of Concord Located in Athens.  Following his freshman year, Clyde transferred to West Virginia University and obtained his undergraduate degree in English in 1967.  He went on to graduate from the West Virginia School of Law in 1970; and

            Whereas, Following his graduation from law school, Clyde returned to Moorefield and for the next 47 years very proudly practiced law as a “country lawyer” while raising his family.  For many of these years, Clyde served as a member of the Moorefield Volunteer Fire Department; and

            Whereas, In 1974, Clyde was first elected to the West Virginia House of Delegates and began a rapid rise in the ranks of House leadership by becoming Vice-Chairman of the Judiciary Committee in his first term.   During his second term, he was Majority Leader and in 1978 he was elected Speaker, a position he held for six years; and

Whereas, In 1984 Clyde ran for Governor of West Virginia, won the Democratic nomination for Governor, but fell short in the General Election, and then again ran for Governor in 1988, but once again fell short; and

Whereas, During his tenure in the West Virginia House of Delegates he became known for his quick wit, tell-it-like-it-is approach to dealing with members and lobbyists, being a stickler for proper use of the procedural rules of the Legislature, and a willingness to correct any wayward member on any rules transgression with clarity and firmness; and

            Whereas, Clyde was also admired for and was singularly unique in his amazing storytelling and joke abilities, his contagious belly-rolling laugh, compassionate nature, which made him a joy to his friends and family and will never to be forgotten by those who knew him; and

Whereas, To this day, two of Clyde’s jokes, one “that in the Legislature, fat possums travel late at night” and the other “that Delegates being elected to the Senate raises the IQ of both bodies” are still regularly invoked; and

            Whereas, Although Clyde was often known for his brashness, he was also known as a tireless advocate for his county, with great love and a pure vision of the goodness of our state and its people, and he held in the highest esteem our system of government, and the important role of the Legislature in making our great state better for its citizens; and

Whereas, His innumerable contributions and dedication to the state and county he loved created a legacy for his family of a life well lived, done with gusto and compassion of which his children and grandchildren can cherish and always be proud; and

            Whereas, Sadly, the Honorable Clyde McNeill See, Jr passed away on Sunday, April 6^th, 2017 at home, his family by his side, leaving behind his four children, Jennifer, Joshua, Lucas and Amy, and his 7 grandchildren, Jordan, Olivia, Shelby, Marin, Darah, Margo and Jackson; therefore, be it

            Resolved by the House of Delegates:

            That the House of Delegates hereby memorializes the life of Clyde McNeill See, Jr., dedicated father, grandfather, attorney and public servant; and be it

            Further Resolved, That the House of Delegates hereby extends its sincere sympathy at the passing of the Honorable Clyde McNeill See, Jr.; and, be it

            Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates provide a copy of this resolution to the family of the Honorable Mr. Speaker, Clyde McNeill See, Jr.