HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 20
(By Delegates White and Kominar)
Requesting the Division of Highways to name the bridge at
Taylorville crossing over Upper Pigeon Creek on U.S. 52 South,
located .2 miles from the bridge going across Mary Taylor
Mountain, "Burl Stafford Bridge."
Whereas, Burl Stafford was born December 11, 1925, the son of
Edward and Zetta (Mullins) Stafford, grew up in the town of
Delbarton (Mingo County) the son of a coal miner and a loving
mother who helped provide for her family by selling sewing goods
from their house during the Great Depression; and
Whereas, Burl Stafford readily joined the Civilian Conservation
Corps after his junior year at Burch High School; then, at age 16,
joined the United States Navy where he spent four years serving our
country during World War II, obtaining the rank of Naval Petty
Officer; and
Whereas, Burl Stafford married his wife Mary Blevins shortly
after the war, settled in the town of Delbarton, and bought their
first home at Taylorville, West Virginia, where Burl lived until
his death, and where his wife Mary continues to live; and
Whereas, Burl Stafford worked in the coal mines for eleven
years in order to provide for his growing family and became a
member of the United Mine Worker's Union No. 9603 where he held the
office of financial secretary; and
Whereas, Burl Stafford later served the Delbarton area for
twenty-seven years in the United States Postal Service, lovingly
known throughout the Route 2 Pigeon Creek area as "our mail man;"
and
Whereas, Burl Stafford helped to organize the First Baptist
Church of Varney, West Virginia, where Burl served as a deacon,
Sunday school superintendent, song leader, and youth mentor,
touching the lives of many of "his" young people; and
Whereas, Burl Stafford was instrumental in organizing the first
Boy Scouts of America Troop in the Varney area, Troop 333, serving
as Scout Master. Burl's grandson later became one of the first
Eagle Scouts from this troop; and
Whereas, Burl Stafford passed away on October 15, 1989 from
complications from Black Lung disease, which resulted from his
early coal mining years spent working amidst the coal dust of the
face of the mine, working to provide for his family; and
Whereas, Burl and Mary are the parents of three children, five
grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. Burl instilled the
value of education in each of them. All of Burl's children and
grandchildren have graduated from college with higher education degrees, some obtaining Masters degrees; and
Whereas, Burl's family, friends, neighbors and the community
where he worked and lived and that he loved and served, all agree
that it would be a great and deserving honor to name the
Taylorville Bridge over Upper Pigeon Creek after Burl Stafford, and
to dedicate it to his memory; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Legislature hereby requests the Division of Highways
to name the bridge spanning Upper Pigeon Creek on U.S. 52 South,
located .2 miles from the bridge going across Mary Taylor Mountain,
at Taylorville, Mingo County, West Virginia "Burl Stafford Bridge;"
and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Division of Highways is hereby
requested to erect appropriate signage at the entryway of each end
of the bridge; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the House is hereby
requested to forward a copy of this resolution to the Commissioner
of Highways and to the Mingo County Commission.